


Not What I Seem

by Averno



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Eventual Fluff, F/F, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-08
Updated: 2017-02-09
Packaged: 2018-09-07 08:36:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 26,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8790913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Averno/pseuds/Averno
Summary: Lex Luthor will do anything he can to destroy Superman, even if it means using Supergirl as bait. What will Lena do when her brother asks her to befriend National City's new hero in order to gain information? Can Lena resist growing closer to Supergirl?





	1. As you Like it

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first fanfic, I had no idea stuff like this even existed until the other day ago. Thank god for google. And also Katie McGrath. Anyways, hope you all like it, I can keep going with it if there's any interest out there.

Lena Luthor looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. Thick dark hair, almost black, but still streaked through with rivers of something closer to amber was pulled into a loose braid at the base of her neck, her green eyes flickering in the fluorescent lights.

_Not bad considering there’s a bomb in the building,_ she thought wryly.

Putting her shaking hands under the faucet, she turned on the cold water and let it glide over her palms, splashing a few drops against the back of her neck. Not even an hour ago a team of men had stormed into her office, shotguns waving in the air, gruff voices demanding that the CEO of L-Corp hand over a disk drive containing all of the company’s banking information on it or else they would blow everyone to Kingdom Come. Lena had given a snort and told them all to go to hell. Her bravado had had little effect. The leader of the group—a big barrel of man with a greasy baldhead and ragged scar covering his lower jaw—had simply sneered, his eyes ogling the gold necklace hanging just above Lena’s bra line, where her soft skin was heaving against the cold metal.

“Looks like this cat has claws boys. But that’s alright I like my girls with a little fire in em’….how about it sweetheart?”

And with that he’d ripped the pendant from her neck, hands meanwhile pawing as much of her chest and ass as possible. Lena had delivered a left hook to the man’s face strong enough to echo through the room with a large THWACK....and to break his nose.

Which was how she’d ended up in here. Locked in the company bathroom, hands zip tied together in front of her and another bomb, this one decidedly improvised, strapped to her chest. Lena looked down at the contraption; it was all blinking lights and stray wires.

_Nothing the CEO of L-Corp couldn’t handle_ she thought with a smirk. Practically purring with her own intelligence, Lena pulled a bobby pin from her hair, a few loose locks cascading around her face as her tied hands awkwardly fumbled with the pin for bomb’s the kill switch.

Outside she could hear the men digging through every spare inch of her office, searching for the disk and taking anything they thought was valuable. From the few muffled words she could hear through the door she knew they were debating what to do with her, the consensus leaning towards kidnapping her until she finally caved and gave them the drive. Or better yet, was ransomed. Rolling her eyes at their naivety in thinking she’d let them capture her, Lena finished deactivating the bomb, cutting her bonds on a broken shard of glass from the mirror.

_There we go_ she thought with a slow grin. _Damsel in Distress indeed. Now how to get rid of the goons?_ Lena paused. She couldn’t just rush in there with no weapon, that was a suicide wish, and while Lena certainty wasn’t afraid of thugs with low IQ’s she was wary of their semi-automatic guns. She couldn’t rely on the police getting here either, and as for Supergirl…well. Lena doubted she’d save a Luthor, even an adopted one. Not that she needed saving, she reminded herself quietly.

Even so, she was completely alone and weaponless.

_Shit._

Frustrated by her own defenselessness, Lena kicked the disabled bomb at her feet, the thing skittering across the white tiled floor. Watching its progress, Lena got an idea, what if…..? What if she put the induction core at equilibrium and then used the metal lining on the bomb to create an electromagnetic radiation that could knock them all unconscious with a single blast? She could capture the men before they had time to leave _and_ disable the other bomb they had placed beneath her desk. Smiling at her plan, Lena got to work.

xxxx

Kara stopped mid pot sticker to pick up her phone, giving an internal groan when she saw her sister was calling from the DEO again. _Oh god, not right now._ Three fires put out, a bank robbery stalled, and a car accident avoided—not to mention a long day at work getting chewed out by Snapper for leaving one too many adjectives in her most recent attempt at an article. Kara was exhausted. With a sigh she flipped the phone open and heard Alex’s voice: “Supergirl?”

“Yah Alex, I’m here.”

“L Corp’s under attack again, you better head over there, they’ve got the building completely barricaded, the police can’t get in.”

_L Corp again?_ Kara’s brows knitted together, she could feel her muscles tense and her heartbeat drum a little faster. Lena Luthor certainty had a bad habit of attracting trouble. “I’m on it,” she said quickly, tiredness forgotten in a flash as she raced towards the window.

“Wait! Kara! Don’t go in there without backup!” But Alex’s voice echoed through the empty apartment, Supergirl already gone in a swirl of red and blue.

xxxx

Lena looked down at her improvised bomb, biting her bottom lip in concentration. _Ok, here goes nothing._ Her long fingers moved deftly over the wires, brows scrunched in concentration. She hesitated a moment over a long green fuse, a slight tremble in her hands. _If I’m wrong_ …an image of L Corp missing its top story flashed quickly through her mind. Lifting her chin up with a hard expression behind her eyes, Lena clenched her jaw and yanked out the cord without another moment’s hesitation. There was a sudden whirl of gears and a loud click and then….

Nothing.

The bomb was deactivated. Releasing her breath Lena ran a hand through her dark hair, _now with just a few more touches she could—_

The bathroom door slammed open, Lena quickly snapped around to see a startled guard lowering a sub machine gun at her.

“Don’t move a muscle!”

Lena’s hands tensed around the bomb hidden behind her back. Taking a deep breath she let herself smile slowly, “Relax. It’s all part of the plan. You work for Lillian right, Cadmus?”

Lena desperately twisted the bomb behind her back, looking for the induction core which would allow her to turn it on, hoping her lie would buy her a few precious seconds.

The man crooked his head to one side, jaw going slightly slack. “You know Lillian?”

Lena tilted her head back and gave a deep, husky laugh, her long white neck exposed. “I’m her daughter. Don’t they tell you boys anything?” she let her voice drop into a silky rasp, green eyes half hidden behind thick lashes.

Behind her back, she frantically moved her fingers through the bomb’s wires, feeling a drop of sweat fall down the nape of her collar. _Just keep him distracted_

“But I thought we were here to take you—“

Lena felt his eyes on the place her shirt had ripped when the other robber had grabbed her necklace. A small section of her black bra was flashing through the tear. She noticed his gun was no longer aimed at her.

“Mmmhhmm. No. I’m the bait,” she interrupted, letting herself linger over the word, lips parted just slightly. She slowly moved forward, hips sashaying in her heels.

“the—“ he paused and took a loud gulp, “the bait?” his eyes were glued to Lena’s slowly advancing figure trailing her body up and down.

Still toying with the bomb, Lena’s fingers latched onto the core, and after giving it a fast twist she felt a pop and heard a short beep. _Finally_

“What was that?” The man raised his gun again, sweat coating his upper lip.

Lena flashed him her most alluring smile, “Hmm? I didn’t hear anything?” She closed the last few feet between them, their bodies almost touching.

_God he reeks._ Lena thought, her mind flashing to the other day when Kara had walked into her office to talk to her about her mother, remembering the way the reporter’s perfume had wafted over to her.

Shaking her head, Lena leaned into the guard, pushing her body between his arms and the gun, wrapping an arm around his neck as she moved the bomb behind his head so she could better see what she was doing.

She looked into his muddy eyes, “I can’t believe they didn’t tell you I‘m the bait for Supergirl. You capture me, and then we capture her.”

She moved her eyes to the bomb, seeing the last few wires that needed to be connected.

“Umm I--?” He stuttered over the words, eyes darting between Lena and the door.

Lena laughed at his speechlessness, heart screaming to keep him distracted.

“Cat got your tongue?” she said softly, and with that Lena finished activating the bomb, her body suddenly stiffening as she flicked the switch to on and shoved the device into the man’s stomach, his hands instinctively grasping at it. “wha—“ But Lena didn’t give him the chance to realize what she’d done, she pushed him out the door with all her strength, his body colliding into the other men just as the bomb exploded.

BOOM

The bomb rippled electromagnetic wave lengths across the office, shattering the huge floor-to-ceiling windows behind Lena’s desk and throwing Lena backwards against the opposite wall. Her vision going dark, the last thing Lena saw before she passed out was a red and blue figure dashing in through the now broken windows.

 

xxxx

Someone was calling her name. Lena’s head felt like it was swimming under thick cement and she couldn’t see a thing. “Miss Luthor? It’s ok now. Miss Luthor?” The voice was warm, familiar. Lena felt herself melting into it a little. She tried to open her eyes, but she couldn’t focus yet, her world darkening as she slid out of consciousness again.


	2. Whirlwind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena and kara meet, how much does Lex's sister actually know?

Kara looked down at Lena Luthor. The CEO had definitely seen better days. A small trickle of blood was flowing from one corner of her lips and her left knuckle was bruised. Not to mention her clothes. Kara had never seen the well-put together executive in anything less than designer outfits. But now…her shirt was torn and Kara noticed how thin Lena was underneath, her toned body looking fragile rather than strong. Tearing her eyes away slowly, Kara gently shook Lena awake, the CEO letting out a moan as she came-to that turned Kara’s face a hot red.

 

“Supergirl?” Kara caught a flash of recognition behind Lena’s eyes before the CEO threw up her defenses, her gaze instantly guarded.

 

Kara offered a hand to help Lena stand, but the CEO’s jaws clenched shut and she pushed herself up quickly, moving away from Kara to the other side of the room where her desk had been overturned in the explosion.

 

Kara sighed. “Miss Luthor. What happened? Are you ok?”

 

Dusting off her skirt Lena gave Kara a quick eyebrow raise. “I’m fine Supergirl, as you can see, I can take care of myself.” She waved her hand around her office, clearly indicating the bodies of the unconscious men around her. Her eyes flashed with something Kara couldn’t quiet place and then she said “Unless you came here for something else?”

 

Kara rubbed her eyebrows, looking at the mess around her. DEO agents were scattered everywhere, and there was glass littering the floor like stardust. She could see Alex interrogating one of the men who had stormed Lena’s office, and J’onn studying the pieces of a bomb. But, despite the mess, Lena had single handedly taken on a room full of vicious robbers and made it look easy.

 

_She clearly doesn’t need me_ Kara thought, trying to keep the back of her mind from drifting to the idea of a long nights rest and maybe some more pot-stickers.

 

Still, the DEO had asked Kara to check on Lena and get as much information as possible from her before the media caught wind of what had happened and buried the building in a sea of flashing cameras.

 

Kara turned her eyes back to Lena, slowly letting them assess the CEO. “You’re hurt.” Kara said at last, her fingers pointing to Lena’s split lip.

 

Lena rolled her eyes and with a quick swipe wiped away the blood from the corner of her mouth, her red lips slightly swollen from the cut. “Relax, Supergirl, I might not be made of steel but I can still handle myself,” she bit her lower lip, “I get my own coffee in the morning and everything.”

 

At Kara’s deepening scowl, Lena only laughed softly, the CEO enjoying teasing National City’s favorite hero. “Are you always this eloquent?” she asked with another smirk, green eyes flashing

 

“Phft—I, well. Yes?” _Oh my god_. Kara face-palmed at her own stuttering. She could never get her words right around Lena, the other woman was always so composed and witty. Even after blowing half her office to shreds and nearly killing herself in the process, Lena was still more collected than Kara. Resisting the urge to fly away at light speed and bury her face in a pillow, Kara opened her mouth to give some sort of coherent, snappy reply. But, before she got the chance, Alex approached the two of them, her sister’s face a tight mask.

 

“Lena,” she said slightly inclining her head to the CEO, “I’m afraid Supergirl’s concerns are valid. Those men’s bombs had traces of Element 115 in them…” Alex paused, watching to see if Lena understood. “Element 115 is—“

 

“Yes. I know. It’s a radioactive isotope that decays at 220 milliseconds per half-life” Lena’s words were calm, she could’ve been reading off the periodic table her voice was so indifferent. “You forget Agent Danvers, I cut my teeth on Nuclear Fission in college.”

 

“Right. Well then you must know that your little electromagnetic counter bomb activated the subatomic particles and made them spin extremely fast.”

 

Kara watched Lena. The CEO was looking at Alex closely, her brows arched and a small, concentrated smile played across her lips. Swiveling her head back to Alex, Kara noticed that her sister looked just as interested, her voice picking up speed as she delved deeper into the subject.

 

Glowering, Kara interrupted them “Can we just cut the science for a minute and tell me what this means.” Not that she cared that Lena and Alex obviously got along. Definitely not that. But _Rao_ , she did not want to sit through a condensed version of Chem 101 with them.

 

Lena looked up, eyes narrowing a little. “Of course, anything for National City’s favorite hero,” her words slightly barbed. Kara wondered how Lena could _do_ that. How she could take a perfectly fine, normal, good word like hero and somehow make it sound like an insult.

 

“What your sister was trying to say is that I might have given myself radiation poising,” Lena drawled, leaning back against her desk, letting her legs cross.

 

Kara gulped. Loudly.

 

Embarrassed she twisted at super speed to Alex, hoping no one saw the red staining the back of her neck and creeping into her cheeks. “So what does this mean?”

“It means” Alex said, leveling her glance at Lena, “that Ms. Luthor here needs to come back with us and run through a series of tests to make sure her genes haven’t been altered by the radiation.”

 

“A Luthor with abnormal DNA? That would certainty make the morning papers—as well as your job a lot more interesting” Lena said turning to Kara, expression unreadable

 

_As Supergirl or as a reporter?_ Kara wondered briefly staring at the other women, wondering just how much Lena knew.

 

Before anyone could respond, Alex’s eyes flicked over to where one of the robbers was slowly inching his way to the door, and with an eye roll she looked at Kara, “Take Ms. Luthor back to base, I’ll clean up here,” and with that she strode away, boots crunching over broken glass. Kara watched her sister for a second longer, smiling when she saw Alex grab the man’s collar just as he was about to leave the room and twist his arm behind his back without even breaking her stride. _Her sister was such a badass sometimes_

Lena cleared her throat softly, “Is this really necessary I coul—“

 

“If Alex says it is: we’re doing it.” _We’re doing it? Oh my god Danvers could you sound any more like a twelve year old boy_? Kara’s eyes widened, “I mean, not that. Not—um, would you like to fly or walk to back to base?”

 

Lena’s lips twitched, but she only raised one eyebrow and said “You want me to walk to Washington DC?”

 

“Why would we—Oh.” Realization dawned on Kara. Lena still thought Alex worked for the FBI, whose headquarters were in America’s capital along with almost every other government acknowledged agency.

 

“Err, well, we have a base here too.” _Smooth Kara, very smooth_

 

“In that case, I think I’ll walk,” Lena threw the remark over her shoulder, the CEO already heading towards the elevator.

 

Kara used her super-human speed to catch up with her. “Are you sure? I could give you a lift? Its no trouble at all.” Kara heard Lena’s heartbeat skyrocket, and turned to see the CEO nervously straighten her shirt. _Of, course, She’s scared._ Kara remembered the first time she’d met Lena in the helicopter, and grimaced at her own stupidity in forgetting the CEO’s fear of heights.

 

“I’m fine.” There was just a hint of an edge in her voice.

 

“Oh well, ok then,” Kara flinched, her stare glued to her shoes as she tried to decide if her stomach had just dropped to her toes or all the way down to the basement.

 

They stood in silence for a moment, waiting for the elevator to arrive. Kara Fidgeted with the sleeves of her shirt, daring to dart a look up at Lena after awhile.

 

The CEO was impassive as always, her face calm and controlled, her hair somehow miraculously in place, her clothes not even that wrinkled…and _Oh no_. Kara noticed the rip in Lena’s shirt again, this time catching sight of the bra underneath. The hero’s mind whirled into overdrive, should she say something or would that just embarrass Lena? The other woman always dressed so nice, not like Kara noticed or anything, but what if she didn’t like being told she was basically half naked? Kind of like how people get uncomfortable when you say something’s been stuck in their teeth, not that Lena has anything to be ashamed about, I mean obviously, she clearly looks out, and wow, is that a push up bra, or?

 

As if she could hear the ramble of her thoughts, Lena turned to Supergirl, and even though her voice was low and soft, her lips were pressed in a thin line and her eyes were dark and hard as she said “see something you like?”

 

“You--” Kara hesitated. “You have a tear in your shirt.”

 

“Oh.” Lena’s bows knitted together, a frown pulling one corner of her mouth down. “thank you.”

 

“No problem!” Beaming Kara pulled her cape from her shoulder and in one smooth motion wrapped it around Lena like a bath towel just as the elevator doors pulled open. “That should take care of it!”

 

Lena shook her head and opened her mouth to say no but before she could do anything Kara rushed, “There’s a driver downstairs, they’ll take you to base, see you there!”

 

And with that she turned and flew out the window, struggling a little to stay even in the air because it was hard to fly without her cape. She didn’t know why the thought of Lena wearing her cape made her smile so much but it did. With a shrug Supergirl headed back to the DEO, sometimes it was like she just couldn’t think straight around Lena.


	3. The Start of Something New

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex suspects Lena of having ulterior motives, and Kara can't seem to resist the CEO.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to post! but thank you all for your comments, they were wonderful and kept me motivated to keep writing! sorry if this isn't the best, it was written with a lot of spiked eggnog. As always let me know what you all think. Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season!

Alex strode down the DEO’s hallways, the rubber soles on her thick combat boots echoing dully over the concrete floors. It was after midnight and the building was quiet, the everyday hum of agents busy loading up with gear or digitally tracking down some threat which could very well cause an Armageddon finally hushed to a few distant clicks on keyboards as the last employees logged off their computers and shuffled their papers into briefcases. Alex breathed in deeply, at home in the dark offices.

 

As she passed by a large engraving of the agency’s seal she turned left, feet drumming down a flight of gleaming metal stairs. The muscles on Alex’s legs quivered with every step, she could feel each tendon individually pulling and tensing with her movements. She ran a hand through her hair and resisted the urge to yawn loudly, no matter how tired she was Alex had to appear strong, invincible, the embodiment of an idea focused on brining justice to rouge aliens rather than an exhausted older sister whose eyes could barely stay open. Besides, she reminded herself rigidly, its not like she hadn’t had harder days, worked longer hours. Alex had spent more than a few nights huddled in front of her company computer or locked away in a training room, furiously pushing her body to be better only to see dawn spilling in through the agency’s windows and hear the custodians begin unlocking doors and switching the coffee pots on.

 

When Alex turned down a passage labeled “Medical Bay A34” the main lights shut off for the evening. The building now only lit by soft blue floor panels. The sudden dimness almost went unnoticed by Alex, her stride unbroken. She knew the DEO like the back of her hand, her steps sure with the knowledge that she could’ve found her way to any part of the building even in complete and utter darkness.

 

Lulled by the rhythmic padding of her feet, Alex let her tired thoughts run loose. Almost like a magnet her mind returned again and again to the same problem: Lena Luthor.

 

The medical team had done a complete diagnoses of the CEO, had charted every atom of that woman’s body, searched for any hint of the radiation poisoning that should have been there. But every test, even those run through three or more times had come back negative. Lena Luthor was healthy as a horse and not ion was out of place in her body.

 

Alex’s eyebrows lowered at the thought. It could just be dumb luck, Alex could’ve misunderstood the complexities of Lena’s rigged bomb or some one in a million type error could have prevented the device from detonating the way all her calculations said it should’ve. Still walking, Alex bored her eyes into the clipboard in her hands, its metal surface covered with the printouts of Lena’s medical data. The floor lights provided just enough light for Alex to take in Lena’s stats, the agent noticing with some surprise that Lena was younger than she had originally thought, the CEO’s demanding job and ice cold exterior aging her by a few years.

 

After considering Lena’s data for the hundredth time with the same disappointing results, Alex looked up from the clipboard with a glower and realized she was nearly at the med-bay. She rounded the last corner only to see Kara, still dressed in her super suit, standing in the shadows just outside the examination room which held Lena. The med-bay’s walls were clear glass and the room’s overhead lights were still on. Alex knew Kara didn’t need her supervision to see the doctor preforming the last of Lena’s tests inside.

 

Alex was surprised Kara was still at the DEO—as much as her sister loved helping people she always seemed on edge in the building, like she couldn’t quite be herself when she was just Supergirl.

 

Alex stepped a little closer, curiosity prickling the back of her neck. When she was just a few feet away from her sister, Alex stopped suddenly, realizing that whatever Kara was watching had so entrapped the hero that her sister’s superhearing hadn’t even picked up on Alex’s rough footsteps. Alex was about to chuckle, wondering what her weird little sister could possibly be seeing that was so interesting when she noticed the intensity locked into every fiber of Kara’s being.

 

Supergirl was standing dead still, the pulse beating like a butterfly wing against her neck the only thing visibly moving. She was leaning forward slightly, lips parted, and there was a look in her eyes Alex wasn’t sure she’d ever seen before. Their expression reminded her of the way Kara had stared at her when she’d first come to earth, blue depths tumbling with the deep black places of space, the hurt of an entire planet’s destruction bubbling just beneath the surface. Alex remembered staring down at the young girl fresh from Krypton and thinking how easy it could be to get lost in those eyes, to fall into their gravity and never return. Looking at Kara now she could see the same curious, agonizing question in her gaze. It was like Kara’s world had somehow been turned upside down again and the hero was being forced to make sense of it all.

 

Confused, Alex traced the path of her sister’s eyes. When she realized what Kara had been so intently watching Alex felt a chill run down her spine, the hair on her arms raising the way a cat’s tail does when its frightened.

 

Kara’s eyes were glued to Lena Luthor.

 

xxxx

 

 

Kara stood in the unlit hallway outside the DEO’s med bay, her deep gaze pouring through the examination room’s glass walls into the lit cubicle. She had been walking by, heading towards the training facilities where the only vending machine in the DEO was located to grab a much-needed snack.

 

She had been tired. Exhausted really. She was worn out to the very marrow of her bones, her hair a little limp and her trademark smile weary at the edges. Oil tanker spills, fires, armed robberies; she had stopped them all, even finding time to write an article for snapper on National City’s new solar power program in between. But there was always another crisis to avert, another sentence to revise and paragraph to punctuate. And between one job and the next, Kara rarely had time for herself.

 

Sometimes she wondered if she was doing the right thing being two people at once, pretending at being Supergirl and Kara Danvers. Both would be more successful without the other, Supergirl could save more people if she was always on call, and Kara Danvers could actually do her job without the constant stream of interruptions that made it almost impossible for her to write. Maybe it was better to be one person perfectly than divide herself into little pieces each competing for her attention.

 

But deep down Kara knew she could never be just a human or just an alien. She had tried to be normal once, before coming out as Supergirl. But no matter how many pairs of glasses Kara donned, there was always a piece of her that knew she could never be like Alex or James or Winn. She was too strong, too different. This Earth with its boiling yellow sun that charged her blood like a battery made sure of that.

 

But she wasn’t an alien anymore either. Years spent watching humans, learning their languages and customs so different from those on Krypton had changed Kara until the woman who brushed her teeth in the mirror every morning would have been unrecognizable to the thirteen-year-old girl who hugged her mother goodbye for the last time before watching her world collapse in a millisecond of burning stardust that still haunted Kara’s dreams.

 

Sometimes on days like today, when she was tired and burnt out, Kara could feel the truth of what she was, or rather what she wasn’t, breaking over her like a wall of bricks. The knowledge that she would never fit in would knock the air out of her lungs and leave her gasping for help. And even though she tried to smile through it, tried to shine so bright that she fooled herself into believing everything was ok, Kara knew she didn’t belong anywhere, with anyone.

It was that overwhelming feeling of loneliness which had driven Kara to the vending machines, the hero hoping that a little kick to her blood sugar would bring her spirits back up and let her shake off the feeling of solitude pressing in on her and threating to drown her in its thick waves. She had been halfway there when a loud, splintering crack had screamed into her eardrums and sent her heart skittering thinking that some alien monster was tearing its way through the DEO’s steel and concrete walls. Instantly on edge, with every muscle tensed and her fists balled, Kara had turned to the source of the sound, only to realize that the noise she had mistaken for an enemy attack was only the quick snap of a pencil as one of the med bay’s doctors accidently gripped the thin wood too hard between his nervous hands and shattered the utensil. Kara smiled embarrassedly at herself, relaxing as she realized her hearing must have become more sensitive with her fatigue.

 

She was about to move away when she caught a glimpse of the patient sitting in front of the doctor. _Lena,_ her mind breathed softly, surprised that the CEO was still here. All of a sudden Kara’s legs refused to move. Rooted to the spot she watched as the doctor nervously removed the electrodes attached to Lena’s wrists. Feeling her stomach flutter, Kara deliberately studied the doctor for a moment, taking in his white lab coat and expensive loafers, waiting until the twisting feeling in the pit of her belly subsided before cautiously daring to turn her eyes fully to Lena herself.

 

Kara’s breath caught. And all of a sudden her stomach plummeted again.

 

Lena was sitting on the medical table, legs crossed, one high heel dangling from her ankle. Her dark hair was carelessly pulled back, a few loose strands escaping around her face, her green eyes flickering to a deep emerald under the fluorescent lights. As Kara watched, Lena shifted to lean a little more onto her left side, her skirt bunching up slightly to reveal a glimpse of the black band at the top of her nylons. Kara had a feeling she knew why the doctor had snapped his pencil earlier. There was a sudden thundering in Kara’s ears as she picked up the doctor’s heartbeat, his eyes apparently having caught sight of Lena’s long legs as well. He ran a badly shaking hand through his thinning hair, and when he attempted to pick up his stethoscope from a tray of medical equipment sitting by the lab’s computer he upended the dish, sending metal tools screeching across the floor.

 

Kara winced, not just because the sound grated against her sensitive ears but because she knew what it was like to look like a complete fool in front of the ever-imposing CEO.

 

Lena let out a soft laugh at the Doctor’s clumsiness. “Here, Doctor, let me give you a hand,” she hummed, slipping off the table in one lithe movement. If possible the Doctor’s pulse thrummed even harder.

 

Kara knew she should stop listening in, she hated using her powers to spy, but she couldn’t rip herself away from Lena’s hypnotizing presence. _Be careful_ , she heard a warning voice in her head growl, but of what she didn’t know, her mind pushing the thought away quickly as she turned her attention back to the examination room.

 

“Oh, no, it’s fine Miss Luthor, I can handle my own tools,” the doctor muttered.

 

Catching his words, Kara let out an internal groan for the poor man. She was surprised his heart hadn’t actually burst from nerves yet. She took a half step forward, Supergirl’s confident smile already lighting up her face, ready to offer her assistance the way she always did when people needed help. But before she could even put her foot down, Kara heard Lena’s magnetic laugh again and the hero found any thought of doing anything other than watching Lena washed from her mind.

 

Glued to the floor, Kara’s enraptured gaze trailed the CEO as she bent down to help pick up the scattered equipment. The way Lena moved was mesmerizing, it was confident and collected and somehow watchful and even a little restrained at the same time. It was like Lena was constantly at war with herself, the cold head of a billion dollar company battling against some other piece of the woman that was passionate and fiery.

 

Kara leaned in a little closer, captivated by the woman in front of her. Her alien eyes picked out the slight smudge of eyeliner like smoke on Lena’s skin and the almost microscopic rips in her skirt from the explosion earlier. And If she focused harder Kara could spot the place just above Lena’s neckline where the CEO’s skin was slightly flushed from the exertion of picking up the tools, could count the small creases from laughing and worry that framed her eyes. Letting her eyes linger down Kara even discerned the small lines running over Lena’s lips, slightly swollen from the cut she had received earlier, but still soft…

 

“Hey sis.”

 

Kara nearly flew through the roof she was so startled, she had been so absorbed in the med-bay that she hadn’t even heard Alex approach.

 

“Distracted much?” Alex asked dryly, eyebrows raised.

 

“No?” Kara floated back down to ground slowly, avoiding her sister’s searching look.

 

Alex’s eyes wavered to the med-bay, took in the sight of Lena crouched on the floor helping gather the spilled medical equipment, then slid to Supergirl’s discarded cape resting on the doctor’s table. Concern flickered over Alex’s face briefly, and Kara wondered if she didn’t have supervision if she would’ve even been able to see the expression it was covered so quickly. Alex’s eyes lingered on the red fabric for a moment longer before turning back to Kara, her face carefully composed into an expressionless façade. “If you’re free, Winn wants to see you,” she said neutrally.

 

The corners of Kara’s eyes kept Lena in them, watching how the CEO stood up with a blood pressure cuff in her hands. “What does Winn want?” she asked distractedly, unable to tear her focus away from the scene playing out in the med-bay.

 

“Something about trying out a new super-reflex suit.” Alex gave a sympathetic eye roll; she knew how lost Kara could get in Winn’s endless explanations and costume revisions.

 

“Again? This is like, the third improvement this week.” A frown tugged at Kara’s lips as she turned to look completely at her sister, “and besides, I have another article to write and pot-stickers to eat and I haven’t showered since I put out that fire earlier today.” Kara sighed, she loved Winn, really she did, but sometimes he could be just a little too enthusiastic with his new projects.

 

Alex leaned in and gave her sister a quick sniff. Her nose wrinkled, “God you _do_ smell,” she laughed affectionately, “ice cream and a movie later?”

 

Kara’s face lit up, “Yes! Do you want to leave now or do I really have to try Winn’s suit on?” She gave her sister a brilliant smile, blonde hair framing her face.

.

“You head home without me,” Alex sighed, “I have to finish up things here,” she said, jerking her thumb over her shoulder at the med bay where the doctor was now on his stomach fishing beneath the medical table for the last of his equipment.

 

“Why? What’s wrong with Lena? Is she hurt? Is it serious—“

 

“She’s fine Kara, calm down.”

 

“You don’t sound happy about that.” Kara’s stare locked onto her sister sternly, the question tempered with steel. An image of Lena’s green eyes blazing with pain and disgust burned through Kara’s mind. “Alex...”

 

“Her chart readings came back completely normal. Not a trace of radiation, not even a spike in chemical emissions.”

 

“That’s a bad thing?”

 

“No, but after what she did to that bomb she should be swimming in ions, or at the very least sporting a new tan.”

 

“Why can’t it just be a fluke?” Kara asked, immediately regretting the question as soon as it left her mouth. Alex’s voice slipped into her Doctor Danvers tone, her sister dropping into a deep scientific explanation of exactly why Lena’s radiation-less state was _not_ in fact a fluke but rather a deeply suspicious and oh-so medically fascinating impracticality. Kara’s mind started to wander somewhere around “gamma rays mutating mitochondrial DNA” when she flicked her eyes over to the med bay again, catching a snatch of Lena and the Doctor’s conversation. “Maybe it fell under table?” Lena’s voice murmured. “No, no, it couldn’t have.” The doctor rumbled, nervously wringing his hands, “I’ll check again” he stuttered, falling to his hands and knees once more. Kara turned her attention back to her sister for just a second, nodding along at the right intervals before she looked at Lena again, the CEO now standing by the computer, one hand lightly resting against the back of the machine. Her nails were a deep wine red, so dark they almost blended in with the machine’s black frame. “Is this it,” she asked softly, holding up metal tool. “Yes! Thank you!” the doctor’s voice broke with relief.

 

“Kara? Earth to Kara,” Supergirl started a bit at the sound of her name, yanking her attention away from the med-bay only to find Alex looking at her with annoyance. “You didn’t hear a word I just said did you?” the older Danvers asked, heaving a dramatic sigh.

 

“Um. Yah, the thingy with radiation and transcription right?” At Alex’s less than impressed look, Kara ducked her head and hid her face beneath her long blonde hair, peeking up from between the strands to give her sister a sheepish grin, “I, uh, well not exactly.”

 

Alex tried not to laugh at her sister’s pouting face, but she couldn’t help it, her anger fell away under Kara’s charm. “Fine, enough science for the day, you go talk to Winn and I’ll wrap up here.”

 

“No!” Kara’s face turned red at her sudden outburst, and she could feel her sister staring at her in disbelief. “I mean, no, I’ll go with you.” When Alex raised her eyebrows Kara added a little lamely, “…..to get my cape back.”

 

“Hmmm” Alex grunted suspiciously, turning to the medical bay, and opening the door with a powerful tug. Kara watched her sister stride into the room and hesitated on the threshold for a second, suddenly unsure whether or not she was making a mistake. Something in the back of her head was telling her to turn around and find Winn, to stay far, far away from the dark haired girl standing in the med bay with her sultry eyes and lingering glances that made Kara want to obliterate anyone who had ever dared cause the pain that followed Lena’s movements like a bittersweet perfume. Some part of Kara knew she was balancing on the edge of something. She was teetering just above a cliff and if she wasn’t careful she might tip over the edge and fall.

 

But into what Kara didn’t know. Almost against her will, Kara felt her eyes dragging back to the examination room one last time, felt her heart seize when she caught sight of a pair of soft lips slightly parted. And Kara already knew what she would do. She could sense her body moving towards the examination room as if it belonged to someone else, feet gliding forward even as her mind reeled against the way her fingers craved to touch Lena’s skin one more time, resisted how her mouth parted to catch a breath of Lena’s perfume again.

 

Adrenaline spilled warmly into the pit of her stomach, and Kara felt like her heart was trying to escape out the top of her ribcage. She shivered, an intoxicated chill running down her spine as she stepped inside.

 

xxxx

 

“Agent Danvers, Supergirl,” Lena drawled in a lazy voice when Kara stood next to her sister. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” her eyes locked onto Kara’s with that last word, a spark like lighting illuminating the vivid green depths and Kara couldn’t stop her own eyes from going wide at the remark. She snapped her head down, studying the patterns swirled into the med-bay’s concrete floors. When she looked up again, Lena had a bemused smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

 

Alex cleared her throat, and Kara could swear her sister stepped in front of her almost protectively as she tossed a clipboard covered in medical printouts onto the bench Lena was sitting on. The CEO didn’t even flinch at the gesture, instead she leaned back on her hands, arching her white neck until her stare met Alex’s.

 

“Your data came back. All clear,” Alex said through gritted teeth.

 

Another smile played over Lena’s lips, but this one was slower, almost forced. “Don’t sound so disappointed,” she lilted, her voice light. But Kara’s supervision picked out the white spots on her palms where Lena’s nails were digging into her skin. Kara blinked a few times, willing her eyes to look anywhere but the CEO, aware that Lena must feel her stare. There was a medical chart on the far wall, its laminated pages detailing the various bones in the human body. _Good_ Kara thought, _just focus on that._

 

Alex exhaled sharply, “Call me crazy but a Luthor surviving a chemical explosion that should’ve bathed half of National City in radiation isn’t exactly my idea of believable.”

 

The tension in the room skyrocketed, and the doctor stood up and shuffled out of the med-bay with a nervous expression on his face. As he left, Kara could feel her sister’s body stiffen into a defensive posture, and she turned to give Alex a what-the-hell-is wrong-with-you look.

 

Lena’s face twisted into a mask at the accusation, the shift almost imperceptible. The CEO let herself grin almost arrogantly, and Kara could tell she’d done this before—feigned confidence when she was nearly on the brink of shattering. “And here I thought I had finally earned the DEO’s trust. But I suppose a tiger can’t change its stripes, now can it?” Lena’s voice slipped to a dangerous purr. She lifted her chin, eyes burning with pain and pride, her defiant stare challenging Alex to say more even as some part of her seemed to agree with the agent’s low estimation of herself.

 

Alex held Lena’s gaze steadily, “Don’t change the subject. How did you survive that bomb blast.”

 

There was a look on Alex’s face Kara remembered from every late night spent out after curfew and every unwanted boyfriend who had showed up at the Danvers’ door. Her sister’s instincts were up, her gut telling her something was off. Normally Kara would trust Alex’s intuition with her life, it was part of what made her such a great agent. But Lena was _not_ like her family. And Kara had to swallow the sudden rush of anger that rose in her throat at Alex’s allegation, annoyed that her sister couldn’t seem to understand what Kara knew almost instinctively upon meeting Lena: that the CEO of L-Corp was breathtakingly good.

 

Lena didn’t answer Alex’s question immediately; instead she stood up and circled behind Kara to the lab table, nearly brushing against Supergirl. Kara sucked in her breath and had to remind herself not to listen to the way Lena’s clothes rustled over her body.

 

Lena walked over to where Supergirl’s cape was neatly folded and ran her fingers lightly over the red material, her nails tracing the outline of an “S” into the fabric. Her face was blank, composed, but something in the movement made Alex’s mind click because Kara saw the anger which had steeled Alex’s expression give way to shock.

 

“You wanted us to take you here,” Alex almost gasped, “You wanted to get inside the DEO. You’re just as bad as Lex. You’re the same kind of—“

 

“Alex.” Kara growled suddenly, interrupting her sister before she could say anything more, Kara’s tone authoritative the way it only ever was when she was dressed as Supergirl. _This had gone too far_. Kara couldn’t, _wouldn’t_ , sit here and listen to her sister interrogate her friend.

 

She rested a hand on Alex’s shoulder, careful not to hurt her sister’s pride or body. When Alex turned to her Kara shook her head slowly. The two of them stared at each other for a moment, a conversation passing wordlessly between their eyes. Lena relaxed against the lab table, doing nothing to pretend like she wasn’t watching the obviously intimate scene playing out before her.

 

Alex must have seen the determination in Kara’s eyes, because she broke their silent back and forth with an irritated sigh. “Fine.” She muttered quietly, shaking her head in disbelief. She turned on her heel and stormed out of the med-bay, not even casting a backwards glance at Kara when she left.

 

Kara winced when the door slammed behind her sister, but she knew Alex would cool down in a little bit, sometimes it was better to let her sister fume alone.

 

Kara’s hearing picked up Lena’s heartbeat behind her almost by habit now, the CEO’s pulse surprisingly even, unaffected by Alex’s outburst. Drawing in a deep breath because she knew she couldn’t stay facing away from Lena forever, Kara turned back to the CEO. Her body moved slowly, as if it was swimming through thick water, every cell conscious that she was now completely alone with Lena in a very small room. Kara’s hands toyed with the blue fabric of her suit’s sleeves. When she finally turned and faced the CEO, Kara avoided Lena’s eyes, focusing on her hair and nose and everywhere but those magnetic pools of raging green that Kara was afraid she’d drown in if she met their gaze again.

 

“Alex didn’t mean to say that.” Kara started nervously, staring determinedly at a freckle on Lena’s cheekbone. “She just wants to make sure National City is safe, and sometimes she jumps to conclusions.”

 

Lena didn’t move a muscle at Kara’s words. She was so pale and rigid she could’ve been made of marble. Rushing to fill Lena’s silence with something that could make the situation better, Kara continued on in a blur, “But she trusts you, I know it.” Kara placed her hands back on her hips, and smiled confidently.

 

At that, Lena finally gave a hoarse laugh. “Please Supergirl save your speeches for someone a little more gullible. I am not naïve enough to believe that my last name doesn’t color people’s perceptions of me. Let alone its effect on a DEO agent.” Lena’s throat tightened. Her jaw clenched and unclenched in anger, but it was a helpless kind of fury that left her feeling powerless. “Lex and Lillian might be behind bars but their legacy is not so easily contained.”

 

Kara expected to see a tremble in Lena’s hands or watch the CEO’s eyes fill with tears or anything that would show the hurt Lena was so desperately battling to hide.

 

But Kara should have known by now that Lena never let anyone see her vulnerable. The CEO instead straightened her shoulders and said, “Now if we’re done analyzing my family legacy I’d like to go home.”

 

Her voice was even, flat, impersonal. And Kara hated it. Hated the way she desperately needed to hear the Lena’s words tinged with a laugh, feel the smile at the corners of each sentence the way she could the day she first met Lena in her office and the CEO had teasingly told Kara “could’ve fooled me” when the blonde had blushingly admitted she was no reporter.

Kara swallowed and reminded herself that she was Supergirl. She fought monsters everyday and dealt with a boss from hell and she was more than capable of holding herself together without Lena’s smile. But _fuck_ she wanted it.

 

Interpreting Kara’s silence as a yes, or maybe just exhausted with everything that had happened in the last twenty four hours, Lena turned to walk out.

 

She was halfway to the door before Kara realized what was happening. Feeling a cold weight settle in her chest, Kara desperately reached out and grabbed Lena’s hand. Her fingers encircled Lena’s wrist, refusing to let the CEO go away so guarded, needing something, Kara didn’t know what, from her.

 

The contact was warm and Kara’s palm felt scorched where Lena’s skin thrummed underneath her own. She gave a light tug and turned Lena back to her, hearing the other woman gasp in the millisecond before Lena was spun around.

 

For a second, Kara forgot where she was. She must’ve pulled a little harder than she had intended because instead of gently turning Lena around, Kara had accidentally pulled the CEO almost into her body, the woman now standing only centimeters away. They stood nose-to-nose, Lena’s breath fanning softly over Kara’s cheeks. The CEO’s perfume wafted up softly from the spot just behind her ears, and Kara felt her fingers twitch with the urge to sweep over the other woman’s jaw and down her neck to tangle into her thick dark hair. Her gaze lingered over the curve of Lena’s cheekbones and the faint hint of makeup on her skin, the hero’s stare gently travelling upwards.

 

And then Kara raised her eyes to Lena’s own, and time seemed to stop.

 

Kara knew she shouldn’t have done it, knew somehow that if she met Lena’s eyes she would never be able to pull away, knew that she might see something in them that could break her apart the way Krypton shattered under the force of its red sun.

 

But Kara had never wanted to be destroyed so badly before.

 

And so dizzy with the other woman’s proximity, Kara let herself fall into Lena’s gaze. There was a spark burning deep within the green emeralds, and the way it flickered over the gold fleck’s like warm scotch ringing Lena’s irises was haunting. Laughter and pain and strength chased each other through the smoky depths, each contradiction battling against another. Kara couldn’t blink, couldn’t move. She was drowning in a sea swept the color of broken glass Kara didn’t even want to cry out for help.

 

_Rao._

 

Lena flinched. She tried to hide it but Kara’s eyes were too fast, too un-human to miss it. And when Kara pulled herself out of Lena’s eyes she realized they were staring back at her with surprise and a guarded wariness, the realization sending a wave of nausea through Kara’s stomach. And just like that, the universe came speeding back to Kara. The warmth of Lena’s body replaced by cold glass walls and the ticking of a clock somewhere on the wall behind her. The hero suddenly painfully aware of the humming of the computer and smell of hand sanitizer and the wrinkled paper on the medical table, and painfully, painfully conscious that she was a Super and Lena was a Luthor and that there were some histories which could not be erased so easily.

 

Kara dropped her hand away from Lena’s wrist dully, stumbling backwards a few steps. Her chest sinking. _She’s afraid of you_ , Kara’s mind whispered, the hero suddenly wishing she could rip the S off her chest.

 

“I’m sorry,“ Kara barely managed to choke, her body numbed as if someone had poured ice cold Novocain into her veins. “I didn’t mean to, I just forgot my own strength.”

 

Lena stepped back authoritatively, putting even more space between them. She crossed her arms over her chest as if to protect herself, and Kara noticed how she hid her hands under her arms to conceal the way they trembled. “I—”Lena opened and shut her mouth, at a loss for words for the first time since Kara had met her.

 

“It’s fine.” She finally ground out, and Kara could practically hear the period at the end of Lena’s words they were so sharp. “Accidents happen.”

 

Kara closed her eyes, exhaling slowly. When she opened them she saw the tense line of Lena’s jaw and the way the other woman was breathing, sharp and shallow. She could feel Lena studying her with a reserved glare. Or at least it felt like that. But Kara couldn’t say for sure because her eyes refused to move above Lena’s collarbone. Slowly as the minutes ticked, Lena relaxed, the anger and fear fading.

 

No, not fading Kara’s mind dully registered, taking in the way Lena’s legs crossed over each other and how her chin jutted out. Just buried quietly away under layers of poise and determination.

 

Unable to stand it anymore, Kara mumbled, ““I can show you out.” Her voice dulled, unable to hide the slight edge of disappointment in her words the way Lena seemed to be able to control all her emotions without thought.

 

Kara stepped out of the room quickly, not waiting to hear Lena’s response because she wasn’t sure she could handle another quip from the woman. After a minuet she heard Lena’s high heels click behind her. They wound their way through the DEO, arriving at the main floor in just a few minutes.

 

Kara stopped and stared at her boots. “The main exit is right through there,” she said, pointing vaguely with her hand at a set of large double glass doors. “I think I can hear your driver outside, and I know you don’t like to fly, but I can always take you home if you’d prefer. Its faster.”

 

There was a breathy laugh, low and throaty. Kara swiveled up in surprise. “First you pull me into your arms and now you offer to take me home?” Lena cocked an eyebrow, “Are you always this direct?”

 

Kara blushed, but as much as she wanted to sink into Lena’s banter, she knew the CEO’s teasing was a way for her to deflect from whatever emotions had so frightened and upset her in the med-bay. As flirtatious as Lena’s words were, her body language didn’t match her tone. Because while Lena’s voice was saying yes every fiber of her being seemed to scream no. As if to confirm the thoughts racing through Kara’s mind, the hero saw a small grimace pull at Lena’s smiling lips, almost as if the woman hated what she was saying.

 

Glancing up, Kara put her hands on her hips, “That’s not what I meant Miss Luthor.”

 

The smile on Lena’s face twisted a little further into a grimace when she heard her last name. But the CEO waved it off. “A shame.”

 

And even though she knew it was just another defense, Kara couldn’t help but turn red at that, her whole face dyed the color of her super-boots.

 

Seeing her expression Lena chuckled softly, though her eyes were still wary and her body tense. “Goodnight Supergirl.”


	4. When Our Stars Collide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena bumps into Kara and asks her to go to a party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, you know what they say, if at first you don't succeed...thanks for everyone whose been patient with this, I know its not very good but I've enjoyed writing it. It also gives me an excuse to google Katie McGrath so theres that.

Lena sat calmly at a small side table in Noonans. The café was packed. Bussers rushed to and fro, frantically trying to wipe down booths as cooks yelled out short orders to the harried waiters.

 

But Lena seemed unfazed by the chaos around her. When a server dropped a coffee cup with a loud shatter at the table next to her, Lena didn’t even notice, her thick eyelashes lowered as she studied the tablet in front of her. The device was silver, sleek, its screen covered in open tabs and a document with a small seal in one corner. By the amount of coffee cups covering her table, it was obvious that Lena had been here for a while. But the CEO made no move to leave. Instead she sat perfectly still, her back straight. A passing waiter stopped to stare at Lena, thinking that the woman could’ve been made of marble if it wasn’t for the dangerous smile tugging at one corner of the CEO’s mouth, the expression so faint it was barely visible.

 

Lena’s phone buzzed. The CEO pulled her gaze away from the tablet coolly. _10:30_ the device announced.

Lena stood up and slipped her tablet into her purse in a single graceful movement. She leaned over slightly and lifted one of the coffee cups from her table, black liquid nearly overflowing from the open top. She walked purposefully towards the café’s main entrance, passing the large center column which had stood near her table. When she was halfway across the room, Lena checked her phone one more time, her body half hidden by the pillar.

 

“But pink is my favorite color! Alex. No I know its girly but come on...”

 

At the sound of the voice Lena’s eyes sharpened, and she rubbed her lips together to even out her red lipstick. She moved nearer to the column, hearing the young woman on the phone approach.

 

“Pink can totally be badass. I think I would know…” Lena adjusted her fingers lightly over the coffee cup, ears judging the distance between her and the animated voice. “Phft. That’s not nearly as cool as that one time I flew into—“

 

Lena stepped out from the behind the column suddenly. Caught by surprise the girl on the phone slammed into Lena, spilling the woman’s coffee all over her cardigan.

 

“Oh gosh I’m so sorry, I didn’t even see you, and that must’ve hurt.” The girl spluttered, bending down to pick up Lena’s cup, “I’ll totally get you another coffee, I’m so so sorry I….” Standing up with the cup in one hand and her glasses slightly askew the girl finally looked over at Lena. Her words trailed off suddenly as her blue eyes widened in surprise. “Lena?” she finally said, a beaming smile lighting up her face.

 

Lena felt her heart race. “Kara,” she said warmly, ignoring the twisting feeling in her stomach as she returned the blonde’s smile. “It’s great to see you.”

 

Xxxx

 

Kara felt warm all over. It might’ve been because she’d had coffee spilled on her, but Kara thought it might have something to do with the way her name sounded on Lena’s lips.

 

Kara hadn’t seen Lena since the other woman’s visit to the DEO nearly a week ago. Well maybe _seen_ wasn’t exactly the right word. Kara might have flown by the CEO’s office once or twice since then to make sure she was ok. And even though she knew Lena’s pride would never forgive her if she found out, Kara couldn’t help it. Lena wasn’t bulletproof or bomb proof. And no matter how well she hid her emotions behind a veneer of calm indifference, Kara had caught glimpses of all the pain and exhaustion Lex’s legacy provoked in her. Kara wanted to be there for her, and sometimes when she hovered outside L-Corp, listening to the now familiar heartbeat thrum steady as Lena worked late into the night she hoped the CEO could somehow feel that she wasn’t as alone, that she had a friend.

 

“Its great to see you too! I didn’t know you came to Noonans?” Kara asked, bubblier than normal because she couldn’t believe her good luck.

 

Lena stepped around the puddle of coffee on the floor, her shoulder almost brushing against Kara’s. “It’s my first time actually. I had a meeting downtown and I thought I’d just run in and grab something on my way.”

 

Kara’s beam dimmed. “Oh gosh Lena, your coffee. I’ll go buy you another one right now.”

 

Lena laughed lightly, and Kara found herself smiling along with the sound. “It’s fine Kara. And anyways I should be the one apologizing, I think I might’ve ruined your shirt.” Lena reached out and lightly touched Kara’s sleeve. She moved one finger up slowly until it brushed over the edge of the stain.

 

Kara looked down, mesmerized by the motion. When Lena pulled her hand away Kara glanced back at the CEO. “Um.”. She fumbled for a moment, trying to get her bearings.

 

Lena laughed again, this time it was lower. Kara’s mouth went dry. “Your shirt…?”

 

“Oh! Right. Actually, I have an extra.” Kara gestured to the lumpy purse on her shoulder, embarrassed. At Lena’s questioning look, Kara stared at her hands and muttered, “I have a lot of accidents.”

 

Lena bit down on her lip. She tried to keep a straight face but even when she covered her mouth with her hand Kara could see the smile stretching across her lips. “Oh Kara, sometimes you’re just too much,” but the way Lena said it was warm, her chuckle a little soft. She stayed like that for a moment, but then something flickered over her face and her eyes widened and she turned her head away suddenly. “Still, let me at least buy you another shirt or make it up to you.”

 

Kara blushed. And she instantly wanted to kick herself for it. Because there was nothing seductive or even flirtatious in what Lena was offering. Because Lena was a _friend_. And friends went shopping together and changed shirts in front of each other and said things like “I’ll make it up to you,” all the time without ever meaning anything thing else by it. But the thought of replacing her shirt anywhere near Lena brought a sudden rush of images to the hero’s mind, some of them so vivid Kara was afraid Lena would see them written across her face. She lowered her eyes quickly, staring at her boots.

 

She cleared her throat. “Really its fine, running into you was more than worth it.”

 

Lena waved her hand as if Kara’s words were no more than a formality. “Please Kara there must be something I can do?” Lena tilted her head slightly to the side, narrowing her eyes thoughtfully. “Let’s see. Courtside tickets for next week’s game? Reservations to that new place on 68th everyone is always raving about? A bottle of Dacor cabaret?”

 

Kara shook her head. Her chest tightened a little at the thought that Lena had obviously lived in a world where things were tit for tat and everyone had an ulterior motive.

 

“Lena you’re my friend” Kara said kindly, “you don’t owe me anything, I promise.”

 

Lena’s eyes snapped to Kara’s, her pupils moving back and forth as if she were searching for something in those wide blue depths.

 

“I—“ she hesitated, clenching her jaw shut. She battled with herself for a moment, as if unsure of what she was about to do. A shadow stole behind her eyes so quickly Kara wasn’t sure if she’d imagined it or not. “Would you like to come to an event L-Corp is hosting next weekend?” the words came out haltingly. Lena offered a small smile, a little strained at the edges, “It’ll be nothing but old, rich men patting themselves on the back for hours, but there’s an open bar and plenty of scandals to get the scoop on for Monday morning?”

 

Kara nearly dropped her purse. “I’d love to!” she said in something embarrassingly close to a squeak. And even though she knew Lena was offering out of a sense of obligation, nothing in the world could shake the sensation of happiness coursing through Kara.

 

Lena’s smile widened, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Great. I’ll see you then.” She turned to leave, but then turned back suddenly, and said so quietly, Kara knew she’d have to strain to catch the words if she was human. But as it was, with her superhearing, Kara caught the slight waver in her voice, “and Kara? Thank you.”

 

Xxxxx

 

Kara plopped onto the couch with a happy grin. She nudged her feet against Alex’s side, scooting her sister over.

 

“’Hey” Alex protested through a mouthful of ice cream.

 

“Oh, don’t be such a baby” Kara teased. She went to reach for a spoonful of Alex’s rocky road, but her sister leaned away, protectively sheltering the pint in the crook of her elbow

 

“Go get your own.” She said in a voice that was as close to a growl as a human being could get.

 

Kara’s eyes narrowed playfully. “Alex. Give me a bite or else…”

 

Alex appraised her sister from the corner of her eyes, “or else what? You’ll call mom?” She shook her head, and gave an exaggerated eye roll. “Youngest child.” She took a deliberately big bite. “mmmmmm. Delicious.”

 

Kara used her superspeed to try and stick her spoon into the half eaten container, but Alex blocked her. “Like I didn’t see that coming a mile away.”

 

“Oh really?”

 

Alex raised a cocky eyebrow. “Really.”

 

Alex turned her attention back to the TV, a satisfied, big sister grin on her face.

 

Kara sighed theatrically. “Fine. I guess you win, I’ll just sit over here ice-cream-less, unloved and under appreciated.”

 

Alex grumbled something about “drama queens.” And Kara wasn’t sure but she was pretty sure she heard something suspiciously close to “older siblings are way better.”

 

Rocking in her seat, Kara barely stifled a giggle. Carefully, so Alex wouldn’t see, she stuck her finger in her mouth, using her freeze breath so her spit was extra slimy _and_ cold. Then with a final squirm and a burst of superspeed she stuck her finger in Alex’s ear.

 

“Ew god Gross! Kara!” Alex shot up in the air, her hands covering her ears. There was a look on her face that was a blend of disgust and horror.

 

But Kara only chuckled, the hero snatching the wobbling ice cream container on the table before it tipped over. She dug in and hummed happily with every bite.

 

Still standing, Alex looked down at her sister and gave a fond smile. She picked the blanket up off the back of the couch, and with a single flourish draped it over both their laps as she settled in next to Kara. There was an extra spoon on the table and Alex grabbed it, scooping out chunks of ice-cream in between Kara’s own mouthfuls.

 

Alex bumped her elbow into Kara’s warm side, “I love you sis”

 

“I love you too.” Kara grinned, her blue eyes sparkling.

 

They sat like that for awhile, their favorite movie on in the background. They talked over their day, chatting about work and the DEO and that one alien who had the balls to actually call Kara a _cheerleader_. When the ice cream finally ran out, Alex stretched and stood with a long yawn. “I think I’m going to head home, do you need me to pick you up anything from the store when I go?”

 

“What?! Its like 7. Why are you so tired?” Kara’s brow wrinkled. Then. “Oh my god you’re going over to Maggie’s! That’s why you want to go to bed so bad.” Kara chucked a pillow at her sister, catching site of Alex’s beet red face before the cushion smacked into her with a soft thud. “Geez, keep it in your pants Alex.”

 

“Shut up,” Alex mumbled so gently it was almost shy. She threw the pillow back at Kara. And, without even waiting to see if she hit her target or not, Alex duked her head and practically ran to the door, Kara’s good-natured laugh echoing behind her.

 

Kara shook her head and smiled ruefully, bending over to clean up the bowels on her coffee table.

 

“Hey you got a package” Alex called over her shoulder when she opened the door. “Wow what did you order?”

 

Alex stumbled back into the kitchen, eyes peeping over the huge, black satin box she was carrying. Creamy white letters spelling something in Italian shimmered lightly over the lid.

 

“Wow. If I knew you could afford stuff like this I would’ve made you pay for pizza yesterday.”

 

“I can’t,” Kara said softly, running her fingers lightly over the box. The sensation sent a shiver down her spine, her whole body tingling with curiosity. She fought the desire to use her x-ray vision to see what was inside and instead lifted the lid with a slow pull.

 

Alex’s breath literally caught. “Oh Kara, its beautiful.”

 

Kara stared into the box, dumbfounded. Inside was the most stunning dress she’d ever seen. The fabric was a deep midnight blue, so dark it was almost black. It instantly reminded Kara of stardust and the night sky.

 

Kara’s hands trembled as she pulled the dress out carefully, feeling how its material rippled beneath her hands like a luxurious river. When she let it unfurl, Kara blushed immediately. The dress was elegant, there was no doubt about that; whoever had designed it clearly had almost flawless taste. But there was something unmistakably suggestive about it as well. The fabric practically dripped with sex appeal. There was a deep V in the back and Kara could see how the material would cling to her body in all the right places, show off her hips and toned legs and reveal just enough of her chest to be mouthwateringly tempting. Kara didn’t know if she’d ever seen anything as irresistible and yet untouchable in her entire life.

 

A card fluttered down from the unfolded dress, and Kara grabbed it quickly.

 

For the coffee shop and next weekend.

X Lena

 

Kara’s already red face went two shades darker. Lena sent her this? Was this how Lena saw her?

 

“Who’s it from?” Alex’s voice was even. When Kara looked up she realized her sister had been watching her carefully for the last few minutes.

 

“Lena.” At the name Alex’s jaw jutted forward. The warm, lazy feeling of the evening seemed to drain away. The room suddenly cold and tense. “What?” Kara asked somewhat defensively.

 

Alex read the note, her eyes staring at the thick card like it was tipped with poison. “You’re going somewhere with Lena?” It wasn’t so much a question as it was an accusation.

 

“Yah I bumped into her when I went in for my usual at Noonan’s and she invited me to a thing L-corp is hosting.”

 

“And this?” Alex nearly hissed pointing with a jerk to the dress.

 

“She spilled coffee on me and ruined my cardigan.” Kara shrugged. “I don’t think she likes feeling indebted to people.”

 

Alex made a noise in her throat somewhere between a scoff and a snarl. “You cannot be serious. Kara, no. There’s no way your going.”

 

Kara felt her head jerk back at Alex’s tone. “Why not? What is with you and her? You can trust her Alex. She took down Cadmus for god’s sake.”

 

Alex waved her hand around the room, exasperated. “She’s a Luthor, Kara. They’re actors, they play people, that’s what they do.”

 

“She is _NOT_ playing me. We’re friends. Why is that so hard to believe?” Kara’s voice wavered dangerously close to a yell, her hands clenching and unclenching at her sides.

 

“She’s not you friend,” Alex gnashed through gritted teeth. Then as if hearing her own voice, Alex’s eyes widened, she rubbed a hand over her eyebrows, “I didn’t mean that.” she sighed, “Look, someone the other day found a bug in the DEO’s computers. It was pulling every file we had on you. I think Lena put it there, I don’t know how, I don’t know when, but I know why. That whole explosion at her office was just a setup. She _wanted_ us to take her to the DEO, she _wanted_ a chance to put a virus in our systems so she could find out everything she could about Supergirl. She’s trying to figure out a way to hurt you just like Lex did to Kal.”

 

A memory flashed through Kara’s mind _. Lena’s blood red nails on the back of the med-bay’s computer, the way the doctor’s tray of medical equipment had scattered over the floor._

_NO,_ Kara thought forcefully, shoving the memory down. Lena was not like that. She knew the CEO, she was good and kind and so, so much better than the broken legacy left to her by Lex. Kara had trusted Lena when everyone else believed she was working with Cadmus, and had watched her bring down her own mother to save others. Lena had given so much to make things right, and still almost no one trusted her. Kara shook her head, no. Alex was the one who was wrong here.

 

Kara threw her hands up, “That’s crazy. Do you even hear yourself? What your saying is insane. That Lena would willingly endanger herself, her entire company—the corporation she’s practically completely rebuilt from the ground up—in order to plant a virus in our systems? There must be a list a mile long of other possible suspects, people who actually have tried to hurt the DEO before.” Alex’s confidence wavered for a second, and Kara could see the way her sister’s eyes were admitting the truth in what she was saying. “Just because her last name is Luthor doesn’t make her like Lex.”

Alex’s mouth pressed into a firm line. She turned away and began pacing across the kitchen, “Kara think about it. She showed up to your favorite coffee spot, a café that is nowhere near her office, and where she’s never been before, and she just magically bumps into you at exactly the right time? She got into our computers and hacked your information. She arranged everything with DEO info” Alex’s hands crumpled up Lena’s small card, dropping the wrinkled white square to the ground.

 

Kara sped over and picked up the note, “What she can’t go to Noonan’s now without being some kind of criminal mastermind?” Kara smoothed the paper between her hands, “It’s a good coffee shop Alex, people go there all the time, even CEOs.”

 

Alex rolled her eyes, “She’s trying to find out your secret identity. You can’t go to that party, I wont allow it.”

 

“You wont allow it?” Kara bit, surprised at how derisive her own words sounded. And for the first time in her life, Kara realized she was actually angry with her sister. Not upset the way she was when Alex didn’t do dishes or left bottle caps everywhere but the trash. Not even wounded like the way she was when she first came to Earth and Alex didn’t want to introduce her to her own friends. No, Kara realized as her blood boiled. She was furious with the one person who she never thought she would be.

 

“Are you kidding me?” she said, a dangerous current running just beneath her surface.

 

Alex’s nostrils flared, “For Christ’s sake Kara. Grow up. Lena doesn’t give a shit about you. She’s using you. What do you think she’s doing? She’s not interested for any other reason.”

 

Kara heard a crack as a piece of the marble countertop she had been gripping turned to dust under her fingers. Her ears rang. She spun around, stumbling for the open window.

 

With every footstep her mind flashed back to the way Lucy looked at James, how Maggie smiled with Alex, the soft light in John’s eyes when he talked about his wife on Mars.

 

_You’ll never be like them_ her footsteps screamed. A bitter taste like mettle filling her throat.

 

_You’ll always be alone._

Her right boot fell, _Lost._

 

“Kara, no wait” she distantly heard Alex call before stepping onto the ledge.

 

Her left foot thudded down, _Empty._

She jumped into the clear night sky, flying at light speed away from her window, not stopping until the first traces of dawn glowed over the horizon. When she finally returned home she sank into bed, ignoring Alex’s voicemails.


	5. In the Deep End

Xxxx

 

Kara slipped her earrings on, her trembling fingers barely fitting the backs into place. _Ok this is it_ she thought, using her palms to smooth out her dress. She took a deep breath and looked at herself in the mirror. _Not bad_ , she admitted, noticing the way Lena’s dress brought out the blue in her eyes. Kara gave her reflection a goofy thumbs up before she jumped into the air, flying slow so her hair wouldn’t be windblown when she landed.

 

It took her ten minuets to fly to the address written on the back of Lena’s card. The building was just outside National City, tucked away in one of the district’s oldest neighborhoods. Kara had been expecting a skyscraper filled with modern art and clean lines and white tile, but when she dropped to the ground, she realized L-Corp was hosting its party in the Luthor family mansion.

 

The building was brownstone and gorgeous, it was one of those manors built in the industrial age and it sprawled over the lawn in one long, luxurious heap. Large columns supported a grand entryway at the end of a long circular drive and Kara could see miles of gardens and lawns stretching away in the distance. As she walked up her feet crunched over gravel and she passed a happily bubbling fountain. Soft gas lamps lit her way, and Kara could already hear the distant clink of glasses and the echoes of women’s laughter tricking through the open windows.

 

She eyed the entryway again, noting the two men standing outside in tuxedos, lists in hand, clearly there to deter any unwanted guests. As Kara watched, Maxwell Lord stepped out of a Bugatti, two tipsy models draped on either arm.

 

Kara gulped. She suddenly felt small and out of place. She was about to turn around when she felt a hand rest on her lower back.

 

“Psst. Kara.”

 

Kara swung around. “Mon-El? What are you doing here?” Then catching sight of his combed back hair and tuxedo Kara whispered fiercely, “Oh no. I’m not sneaking you into this just because you want to party.”

 

Mon-El lifted a finger, “First off, wow, you look beautiful. And secondly, that’s not why I’m here.” Kara raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Alex sent me.”

 

Kara blinked once then turned down the driveway, storming away. Her heels clattered awkwardly over the gravel, tipped points sinking into the uneven rocks.

 

“Kara.” Mon-El grabbed her hand.

 

She ripped herself away from him, not even bothering to hide the warning flash in her eyes.

 

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, looking down. “She’s just worried about you, that’s all. You haven’t seen each other in weeks and you won’t answer your phone and-“

 

“So what? She sent a babysitter after me? I can handle myself.”

 

“But Alex can’t. She’s going crazy with worry. I offered to come to make sure everything would be ok just so she would calm down. She almost sent a swat team in here tonight. If you send me back now she’ll storm in with DEO agents.”

 

Kara grimaced, “so you’re saying either I let you come with me, or Alex crashes Lena’s party?”

 

Mon-El gave a sheepish smile, “Pretty much.”

 

Kara raised her eyes to the sky and sighed, “Fine.”

 

Mon-El’s face lit up, “I was hoping you’d see reason. And here, I came bearing gifts,” and with that he pulled two gold flasks from his pocket, handing one over to Kara with a wink. “Now, shall we?” he said as he linked his arm through Kara’s, steering her up the walkway to the doors.

 

xxxx

 

Kara sipped her fifth glass of champagne, eyes glazing over as she listened to the owner of the Metropolis Sharks ramble on about his new island in the Mediterranean. Kara nodded along, stifling a yawn behind a somewhat flat smile. She hadn’t seen Lena all night. She used her Superhearing to try to pick out Lena’s voice somewhere in the crowd, but the mansion was huge and filled almost to the brim with people. Her ears strained and she thought she caught sound of a familiar breathless laugh for a second before loosing it in the roar of noises filling the building. Kara sighed.

 

“And then the bartender says, ‘we don’t serve breakfast here!’ HA!” The man opened his mouth wide and let out a guffaw that sent spit flying everywhere.

 

Kara winced and gave a small laugh, “Oh yah, ha, right. Funny. I’m just going to go-“

 

“Now sweetheart you can’t leave me without at least one dance,” her partner interrupted, and without waiting for her answer, the man swept Kara into his arms and pulled her onto the dance floor. As he spun her in dizzily circles Kara kept her eyes peeled for a sign of Lena. But no matter where she looked all she could see was the endless sea of glittering diamonds and expensive watches, eyes longing to catch a glimpse of a different set of green emeralds.

 

The music seemed never to end, and as the orchestra swayed to a slow rhythm, Kara felt the man’s breath in her ear and the slow creep of his hand downwards. Kara stepped back suddenly nauseous. “I have to go,” she said quickly, moving away from the ballroom before anyone else could pull her into a dance. She didn’t notice how almost everyone’s eyes followed her from the room, the way gazes lingered on her longingly.

 

Kara stepped back into the grand hall, bumping into another white vested waiter who deftly handed her yet another flute of champagne. Kara rolled her eyes, throwing the drink back in one defiant gulp, knowing the liquor couldn’t affect her. She eyed the waiter challengingly, daring him to try and give her another drink.

 

He slipped another rose colored glass off his tray without so much as a blink and handed her the crystal smoothly, “Madame.”

 

Kara groaned. And suddenly it was all too much. She needed to be away from these people, away from the constant murmur of conversation and drunken compliments. There was golden confetti drifting through the air in lazy spirals and Kara could just spot a grand staircase through the glitter that looked like it led somewhere quiet.

 

Kara made her way through the crowd, side-stepping tipsy millionaires as they called for more liquor, the soft cherry hued lamps burning above casting a warm blush onto the scene. _Almost there,_ Kara thought as she watched two women spray champagne from a marble balcony, the platinum drops splashing onto the thousands of pink roses wrapped around the grad hall’s massive pillars.

 

With a final push through a group of men admiring the legs of a famous actress, Kara heaved a relieved sigh and reached the staircase, its steps unlighted and clearly off-limits to guests. But Kara didn’t care, she stumbled up the stairs, fingers wrapped around the rich mahogany banister. When she reached the top, the intoxicated yells from down below subsided into a steady rumble. Kara’s shoulders relaxed, and the tension that had been in her chest all evening slipped away. She looked around the unlighted corridors curiously, super eyes cutting through the gloom. Kara could tell she was in a more private part of the mansion, her x-ray vision showing her offices and bedrooms.

 

Adjusting her glasses, Kara walked down the hallways. There were guests up here too, though most of them appeared too far-gone to remember much of this the next morning. Kara passed one man talking to a marble bust of Alexander the Great, his speech slurred as he asked the famous general “Wha-what’d ya shaay?” A few steps later her ears twitched and she picked up a snip of Mon-El’s voice, the Daxamite flirting with a Russian ballet dancer behind one of the closed doors.

 

_Well I’m glad he found who he wanted_ , Kara thought with an irritated grunt, moving away quickly before she heard anything she would regret.

 

She was about to turn around and go back to the party when she bumped her nose into a large set of double doors. Curious, Kara opened them, and instantly felt at home.

 

She stood inside a beautiful 1920’s library, the walls covered with more books than Kara had ever seen in her life. There was a fireplace and stained glass windows, and a set of soft red couches that looked like the perfect place to curl up to read. The smell of books was soft and comforting in the air, and Kara hesitated for a moment before quickly crossing the tiled floors until she reached a shelf. She was immediately lost in the titles before her, her fingers lightly skimming over the leather bindings.

 

“Beautiful isn’t it?” she heard a familiar husky voice ask from behind her and felt a pair of eyes boring into her back. Kara’s heart froze.

 

“Lena” She said breathlessly as she turned around. Her eyes soaked in Lena’s black dress and the way the other woman’s hair curled softly over her shoulders. There was a strand loose by her ears that Kara couldn’t take her eyes off.

 

Lena swayed over, pulling Kara into a hug. Kara had never hugged Lena before, not as Supergirl or a reporter, not even after Lena sent Lillian to jail. From the way the other woman tilted off balance, Kara knew Lena was slightly drunk, but the CEO’s body felt warm and soft against her own, and Kara’s hands reflexively slipped down Lena’s back to clasp her a little closer, a little tighter.

 

“Are you enjoying yourself?” Lena whispered in her ear, her lips just grazing Kara’s skin as she softly kissed her cheek.

 

Kara’s knees almost gave out, her head spinning. She could smell the whisky on Lena’s breath, warm and inviting. “Mmm hmmm” Kara murmured, not trusting her own words. And without her being aware of it, Kara’ mouth parted to breath in Lena’s perfume, the sensation so longingly sweet it almost hurt to draw her breath.

 

Lena stepped back from the hug, the distance leaving an empty feeling in Kara’s arms. “I’m glad you came.” And even though Kara noticed that Lena was speaking carefully to prevent any kind of a slur from forming, the words sounded sincere.

 

Lena’s eyes raked over Kara almost drowsily, lingering over her arms and legs and leaving a trail of heat over Kara’s body. Kara fidgeted with her glasses had to remind herself that she was Kryptonian and couldn’t be burned by anything on this Earth. “You look wonderful.”

“Thank you,” Kara hiccupped as she tried to give an airy laugh. She covered her mouth with her hand quickly. “For the dress and everything” she stammered between her fingers.

 

Lena’s lips curled in a slow smile that sent Kara’s heart soaring. “Of course, anything for my favorite reporter.”

 

Kara’s voice stuck in her throat at the remark, and even though she knew she was imagining the heat behind the words, Kara still hoped the other woman couldn’t hear the way her breath skipped.

 

But Kara had a terrible feeling that Lena could, because the CEO’s smile deepened. With a slight tilt of her head, Lena stepped closer again, a frown furrowed between her eyebrows. “Though I don’t remember this feature?” she said drawing the words out as she pointed at the bottom edge of the hero’s dress. Before Kara could ask what she meant, Lena’s eyes met Kara’s, a mischievous glint lighting up the tipsy green depths. She lifted one eyebrow suggestively then lightly rested her fingers just above Kara’s knee.

 

Kara’s breath caught.

 

Lena moved the tips of her fingers up in a slow line, soft touch tracing the curves of Kara’s toned legs. The hero fought back a warm shiver and tried to ignore the waves of heat rushing through her body.

 

Lena’s lips parted in a teasing smirk as she continued moving her hand slowly, slowly upwards. She let her fingers linger over Kara’s muscles, her touch feather light, almost cupping Kara’s thigh.

 

Kara stared at the red outline of Lena’s mouth, her gaze shifting lower to the small hollow at the base of Lena’s throat, wondering what it would be like to brush her lips over that steadily beating pulse. When Lena reached the hem of Kara’s dress her thumb slipped under the tight fabric, and the hero’s eyes shut. Kara suddenly helpless to stop imaging the way it would feel to press Lena’s hand against her more firmly, to guide her fingers gently higher and push every inch of the other woman’s body against her own.

 

“Lena…” she murmured, unsure if it was a warning or an invitation. Kara’s brain whirled, uncertain of what Lena was doing, how much she meant.

 

Lena gave a wicked smile in response. Her fingers tensed unconsciously at the thick rasp in Kara’s voice, sending a rush of heat up the hero’s leg. She moved her hand up another quarter of an inch, going slow enough that Kara could’ve pushed her away if she wanted to. And even though Kara knew that’s exactly what she should do, she stayed still, intoxicated by Lena’s touch, her body shaking.

 

Lena’s heartbeat drummed through her thumb as she slid her hand around, the CEO leaning in closer with the motion. Kara tilted her head back, her lips tingling from where Lena’s breath fanned over them softly.

 

But with a finial slide upwards, Lena’s hand reached the flask strapped to Kara’s thigh, the CEO giving the metal a soft tap as she pulled it out, stepping away calmly.

 

“Oh.” Kara’s breath came out in a shaky whoosh and she opened her eyes. Lena stood back, completely unfazed, her expression blank. Kara’s chest deflated. _Stupid_ her thoughts lectured as the hero’s mind sluggishly came back to reality. A rush of guilt flooded Kara’s gut as she realized Lena had only intended to tease her friend and not anything else, and would probably never speak to Kara again if she knew just how much her touch unraveled the hero.

 

Lena gave the flask a small shake. “Still full Mrs. Danvers? Don’t you ever let your hair down?” The CEO uncorked the flask a little drunkenly, amber liquid sloshing over the rim.

 

Her thigh still buzzing from Lena’s touch, Kara didn’t notice the dangerous implication in the question. But, as if she was completely aware of the effect she was having on Kara, Lena licked her lips in a way that was deliberately provocative, shattering any hope that the hero might have to pull herself together.

 

Kara pushed her glasses up awkwardly. “Please, I could show you a good time,” she tried to counter playfully, hoping Lena couldn’t see how desperately starved her touch had left her.

 

“Really? Do tell” and the tease in Lena’s voice brought a fresh blush to Kara’s cheeks.

 

“No! I mean, yes. Oh god, no no no. I mean no. You’re beautiful and smart, but that’s not what I meant and you, you know.” Kara frowned.

 

“Mmmm” Lena hummed evasively, following Kara’s blush with curious eyes. Kara shifted her feet, wiped a sweaty palm on the back of her dress, uncomfortable under Lena’s gaze because even though the CEO’s eyes were a little unfocused from liquor, her stare was still piercing.

 

“You’re too sweet” Lena said finally, her voice quiet. Then looking away, she clenched her jaw, her eyes shut. When she turned back to Kara she faltered for a moment, with an expression Kara didn’t understand. Lena took a deep breath and squared her shoulders, and Kara wondered if she was even aware of the gesture or if she’d just become so used to pulling herself up that it had long become a habit.

 

“Care to prove just how much fun you can be?” Lena asked, gesturing to the flask in her hand.

 

“I probably shouldn’t—“ _Definitely_ shouldn’t Kara thought with a grimace, shuddering because if she could barely control herself around Lena sober, she didn’t even want to think what alcohol might bring out in her.

 

“Don’t make me drink alone,” Lena purred and when Kara hesitated, “Say you will. Just one drink.”

 

Kara swallowed hard. This was asking for trouble and she knew it. But as Kara looked into Lena’s emerald eyes everything slipped away again except the need to be near Lena, to let herself fall into those green depths forever. And Kara suddenly knew that she would give anything in the world to have just one moment longer with Lena, to catch another one of the CEO’s lazy smiles or feel electricity course through her body the way it did whenever Lena was in the same room as her. She knew Lena didn’t, couldn’t feel the same way for her, but Kara also knew she couldn’t stay away from the CEO with her dark hair and throaty laughs.

 

Kara’s hand reached for the flask, her head a little light. “Anything for my favorite CEO” she said, repeating Lena’s line and attempting a wink.

 

Kara peered into the top of the flask, wondering what Mon-El had filled it with. By the smell of it, it looked like a little bit of everything. With a grimace Kara lifted the container up, “Cheers” she said with a confident grin before she tipped the flask back and drained its contents.

 

Kara let out a gasp as the warm liquid burned down her throat. She stumbled backwards a few steps and bumped into one of the bookshelves. Her hands flying up to her neck.

 

Lena reached out and grabbed Kara by the elbow, “Are you ok?” she asked, trying to hide the edge of worry creeping into her voice. She ran a gentle hand over Kara’s cheeks, over her hair, her jaw, staring at the hero as if trying to see any hurt that might’ve been done. “Oh Kara I didn’t mean to make you do that. I’m such an ass sometimes” she said as her eyes filled with anger.

 

Kara giggled, unable to tear her thoughts away from the fact that Lena hadn’t removed her hand from her arm. She opened one eye, “S’ok, but you can always kiss it better,” she said jokingly.

 

Lena smiled, a little stiffly, but Kara could see the way her shoulders relaxed and the pinched lines around her mouth smoothed out. “You are impossible, “ she murmured softly. She gave a warm squeeze to Kara’s arm, thumb rubbing small circles against Kara’s skin; it was distracting and amazing at the same time and Kara felt her mind melt at the touch. Lena opened her mouth like she was going to say something, but then as if remembering herself she dropped her hands away from Kara quickly and took a step back. She took a deep breath and when her eyes met Kara’s again they were guarded. “Let me grab you some water.”

 

“Really it’s ok,” But Lena just waved her hands at Kara and headed down the hallways, slightly unsteady in her heels. Kara followed her, feeling the warmth in her stomach grow as Mon-El’s booze slowly took effect. Lena opened a door to a bathroom and poured Kara a glass of water from the tap. She handed the hero the mug carefully, making sure their fingers didn’t touch.

 

Kara gulped the water quickly and then tugged at her pinky. The sounds of the party downstairs rumbled up to them. Kara stared at the tiled floor, noticing the way the world spinned a little.

 

“We should get back out there,” Lena murmured and Kara nodded her head, taking a second longer to stop the motion because her neck felt heavy.

 

But Lena didn’t move. Her eyes traveled to Kara, resting on the hero a moment before quickly flickering away when Kara noticed.

 

“This, um, bathroom is really nice. Your whole house is really nice,” Kara rambled, not understanding the tension in the air, her words a little jumbled together from the drink.

 

Lena gave a tight smile, “Thank you. Lex spent a fortune re-doing it. Everything had to be original.” Kara’s eyes swayed from the necklace hanging just above Lena’s dress to her eyes, “Only the best for our childhood home, he’d say,”

 

Kara swallowed, “You grew up here?”

 

“Before Lillian decided that boarding school would refine my edges? Yes.” Lena moved over to the window near the claw-foot bathtub, her back to Kara as she hugged her chest. “I used to love it here—the gardens and how far away it was from everything. Like our own little world,” her voice dropped to barely a whisper. “Silly.”

 

Kara stumbled closer feeling her heart break for Lena. She reached out a hand and placed it on the CEO’s shoulder, measuring her strength carefully because she was an alien and _Rao_ sometimes Lena felt fragile.

 

Suddenly Lena turned around and grabbed hand. Kara looked up in surprise, “I—“ Lena hesitated, and Kara saw the same look Lena wore in the coffee shop in her eyes now, the same internal battle waging beneath the CEO’s calm exterior. “Do you want to get out of here?”

 

Kara started, “Where?”

 

“Anywhere but here,” Lena said, her lower lip trembling. Without waiting for an answer she pulled the Kara into the hallway, fingers interlacing with the hero’s.

 

Xxxx

 

_Lena Luthor is holding my hand_ Kara hummed, the thought sending warm waves down her spine. Never mind that the CEO definitely didn’t mean it in the same way Kara did or that she was obviously upset while Kara couldn’t keep a smile off her face for more than a second.

 

Lena pulled Kara along, steps quick like she was being chased by something. She led Kara down the staircase and through the Grand Hall with its swirling pick roses, drunkenly weaving between the stifling crowds, not even pausing when her name was called. They stepped out into the mansion’s gardens, Kara’s eyes taking in the blush colored water spraying from the fountains.

 

But Lena didn’t stop, instead she tugged at Kara harder, moving deeper and deeper into the manicured lawn, away from the manor’s lights. Even with her superspeed, Kara struggled to keep up, unsteady in her heels and a little dizzy from Mon-El’s flask.

 

They rounded a corner enclosed by birch trees and stopped out of breath near an enormous private lake.

 

Kara looked up amazed. They were standing on a wooden dock with water stretching before them as still as glass, its surface reflecting the full moon hanging just above the horizon. The pier was lit with thousands of small twinkle lights, their glow soft and warm.

 

“Where are we?” Kara asked, her voice filled with awe

 

“Luthor Lake.” Lena said dryly, still holding Kara’s hand as she guided her to the end of the pier. When they got to the edge they stopped, Lena inhaling deeply. She dropped Kara’s hand and seemed to fold into herself.

 

Kara stepped back, giving the other woman space. After awhile she heard Lena give a stiff laugh. “I’m sorry, dragging you down here like this. That was stupid.” Her voice was raw.

 

“No! I wanted to be here, I—“ Kara paused, shook her head, unsure what to say. “I understand,” she finished, the words hanging in the air between them, heavy with all that Kara wanted, but couldn’t say.

 

Lena laughed mirthlessly. “Do you?” she said in a low voice, her fingers brushing against Kara’s skin as she picked a piece of golden confetti from the hero’s collarbone. “Can anyone really be so good?”

 

Kara’s stomach twisted even as she leaned into the touch, “You are. Lena you saved the city from Cadmus, you put your life in danger to save everyone else, you are—” _amazing,_ but Kara didn’t say it instead she stuttered the first thing that came to mind “heroic.”

 

It was the wrong thing to say. Lena’s eyes widened and she dropped her hand away, a slight twitch on her pressed lips. She turned and stared out across the lake, her whole body rigid. Kara stood in numbed silence, unsure what to do. Her head spun in small spirals and she narrowed her eyes to keep Lena in her focus.

 

The silence stretched out, the soft lapping of waves against the dock and the gentle whisper of wind through tree leaves barely covering the ragged sound of Lena’s breathing.

 

Lena inhaled deeply. She gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head, as if dismissing some idea. When she turned back to Kara her features were resolved, the teasing smile on her lips unable to conceal the hard, almost upset cast of her eyes.

 

“Do you want to go for a swim?” she asked with a throaty laugh that sent shivers down Kara’s back.

 

Kara’s brows wrinkled, because the way Lena said it was playful but her shoulders were still squared and her chin was still lifted at a defiant angle as if struggling against something. She couldn’t tell if the CEO wanted her to say yes or no.

 

Kara rested a hand on one of the pier’s mooring posts to stop herself from swaying side to side, the liquor making it hard to decipher Lena “I—I don’t have a suit?”

 

A reckless smile spread over Lena’s strained features, “Who said we needed one?” And with a slow tug that captivated Kara’s stare, she unzipped her dress, slipping out of the tight fabric in one a smooth motion. With a tantalizing thud the dress fell onto the dock, Lena kicking it off her body so that it landed near Kara’s feet, the CEO almost naked except for the bra and underwear she still had on

 

Oh _Rao_ Kara’s mind faintly registered. Her mouth went dry and her knees almost buckled beneath her. She turned around quickly, her body burning. She forced her eyes down and stared resolutely at the dock, counting the tiny splinters of wood in each plank, making her mind blank the way Alex taught her to when she needed to control her anger after the exposure to Red Kryptonite.

 

Kara swore under her breath. She couldn’t ruin things with Lena, not now.

 

Lena laughed softly near her ear, a slight edge in the sound, and Kara nearly jumped off the dock in surprise because suddenly Lena was right next to her, and oh god if Kara reached out a hand she could touch her bare skin “I can’t tell if you’re being polite or just a puritan.”

 

Kara licked her lips before choking out something indecipherable.

 

Lena laughed again, this time a little lower. “May I?” And without waiting for an answer, Lena slid her hands along Kara’s back, fingers a little blunt with whisky as they scrapped against the hero’s skin to unzip Kara’s dress. Kara closed her eyes and tried to ignore the rush of feeling Lena’s touch sent through her body. When her zipper was all the way down to the curve on her lower back, Lena’s hands moved up over Kara’s shoulders, pushing the dark blue material off gently.

 

Kara’s breath snapped in and she sent up a quick thank you to the stars for her last minute decision to change into her black strapless bra instead of the lumpy tan one she had almost left the house in.

 

Everything was quiet for a moment, and Kara felt the weight of Lena’s eyes on her for a moment.

 

“Lena…?”

 

“Ready when you are” the CEO answered her at last, a splash echoing up to Kara a few seconds later as Lena jumped in.

 

Kara stepped to the edge of the pier, wishing she were about to go for a dip in the artic instead. With a quick glance over her shoulder, Kara hopped into the water, surprised by how deep it was.

 

She sank nearly to the bottom, feeling the soft sand give beneath her feet as she pushed up. When she surfaced Lena swam languidly nearer to her. The moonlight glowed over the CEO’s pale skin, highlighting the dark waves of her hair and the burning intensity of her green eyes. If Kara hadn’t been so drunk the sight would’ve sent her reeling.

 

Lena stopped an arm’s length away and reached a hand out and touched Kara’s cheek, giving a light tap on Kara’s glasses, “Leaving these on?”

 

Kara used every inch of willpower not to let her gaze dip beneath Lena’s collarbone as she stuttered, “Yup! Cant see a thing without them,” realizing what a lame excuse it was even as she said it.

 

Lena’s hand cupped Kara’s cheeks, fingers still toying with the lead rims of her glasses. The hero made a nervous sound in her throat, wishing her face didn’t light up every time Lena touched her. She moved Lena’s hand from her glasses, and swam backwards a little.

 

Lens smiled teasingly, the grin not quite hiding the same hard, almost painful expression beneath her mask as she moved closer to Kara.

 

“I’ve never seen you without them.” She purred, her eyes drowsy. Kara recognized the look in them. It was the same one Cat had given her in her office so many times or the one that lit up so many alien’s eyes the moment before they attacked. It was a languid, sleepy gaze that had very little to do with relaxing and almost everything to do with waiting for the right moment to strike.

 

“Nothing to see!” she said a little to quickly, “just, boring old Kara Danvers.” She gestured vaguely about her, her arms splashing around her haphazardly, the numb feeling in her limbs from Mon-El’s alien alcohol making it hard to tread water.

 

Lena sidled nearer again. She lifted a hand and twirled her fingers through a piece of Kara’s hair, “You could never be boring Ms. Danvers.” She lifted an eyebrow suggestively, dangerously, her smooth words at war with the hurt, almost angry set of her jaw.

 

And even though the hair on the back of Kara’s neck was raised, and even though she knew Lena’s flirtatious tone was a wall like any other, Kara giggled, a hiccup causing her to snort some water into her nose. She couldn’t help it. She was drunk and Lena was so beautiful and even though the other woman had no idea what she was doing to Kara, the hero was pretty sure this was the best night of her life.

 

“No (hic) I really am (hic).” She leaned in conspiratorially, “Last weekend I (hic) stayed in when Mon-El (hic) invited me to go out so that I could watch the (hic) history channel.”

 

Lena’s eyes perked up a little at Kara’s laugh, the CEO quickly burying the expression behind an enticing mask, “Mon El? Is that the boy you brought to the Gala?” And when Kara’s head swayed up and down in what Lena guessed was supposed to be a nod she continued, “I can see why you’d want to stay in,” and Lena sounded surprised at the bite in her own words, “I mean, I’m sure you were tired, you’re so busy flying around all day.” She recovered as she leaned in, biting her lips suggestively, dark lashes lowered over her hooded eyes.

 

Kara beamed, “On busses.”

 

Lena sighed and leaned back, a frustrated tick pulling at one corner of her mouth, “You are something else, you know.”

 

“Same could be said for you,” Kara dared, liquid courage rising.

 

Lena raised her eyebrows dismissively, “No. A good actress maybe. But you…” She stopped, tucked the strand of hair behind Kara’s ear, flashing green eyes boring through the hero’s lead glasses as if trying to tell Kara something, “You are more than meets the eye.” She pressed a little closer in the water, body just grazing against Kara’s, green depths burning with determination.

 

Kara’s eyes widened, the hero treading backwards carefully. “Oh, no. I’m just, just a reporter. Yup that’s me, Kara Danvers, boring reporter, super ordinary. I mean not super, just ordinary. Nothing super about me—“

 

“I don’t know,” Lena leaned forward again, an irresistible smile spreading over her lips, her eyes still glowing with the same pain, “Intelligent, strong…beautiful”

 

Kara’s hand slipped into the water with a loud splash, “I’m? you said..? Beautiful?” she squeaked, reminding herself not to think about the way Lena’s legs slid against her own in the water.  

 

Lena gave a low, thick laugh, “Surely you’ve noticed the way people look at you Kara.”

 

And when Kara shook her head and reached a hand up to readjust her glasses, Lena took the opportunity to slide even closer, “I don’t think there was a person at the party tonight who wasn’t absolutely floored by you.” Kara’s eyes watched the way one of Lena’s bra straps fell over her shoulder, the CEO’s skin glowing.

 

Kara’s fingers twitched. She wanted to reach her hand out, drag it across Lena’s skin, feel the other woman arch beneath her touch. She wondered what Lena’s lips would taste like, what sounds Lena would make if she pushed her herself against the CEO, if she raked kisses along the curve of her jaw.

 

“I-“ Kara licked her lips. Her head spun. How would Lena kiss? Slow and like she knew Kara would never pull away, or deeper, more urgent? She shook her head, _Stop_. “I’m sure they just were curious to see who the new face was.” She gulped, forcing her eyes to stare at a point just over Lena’s shoulders. With a careful movement so that her skin didn’t touch Lena’s, she pushed the CEO’s bra strap back up. Kara gave a weak smile, “Millionaires and all,” she said and ducked her head under the cold water. She swam until her heart stopped racing, until she felt the rough wooden planks of the pier brushing against her outstretched palm.

 

Lena stayed behind for a second, her head tilted to the side slightly, her eyebrows knitted together like Kara was something she had never seen before. “you really are that good aren’t you” she said under her breath, and since Kara wasn’t supposed to have super-hearing she pretended she didn’t hear it.

 

Lena swam over to the pier, the enticing smile she’d worn all evening replaced by a soft watchfulness.

 

Kara kept a careful distance between herself and Lena. Her skin still burned from Lena’s touches and her eyes came in and out of focus from alcohol. She had to force herself to keep her hands by her sides, to stop her eyes from lingering over Lena’s lips. She needed to leave before she did something she would regret.

 

“I should go” Kara said, one hand already on the dock ladder.

 

“Wait, Kara please,” Lena grabbed her wrist, “Don’t go,” she looked at her hand encircling Kara’s and quickly let go, taken aback by her own impulse. “I promised you an evening to make up for Noonan’s and all I’ve done is hog you to myself. Let me take you back to the party? You should have a perfect night, not one spent freezing in a lake.”

 

Kara took her palm off the ladder, her mouth opening and closing a few times because how could Lena not think she hadn’t had an amazing night? How could she think that Kara wanted to be anywhere else than right here?

 

Lena’s eyes drilled into Kara, the green depths desperately searching for something in the hero’s own gaze. The expression caught Kara by surprise. She’d never seen the CEO so vulnerable before, her eyes almost pleading, like she wanted Kara to help her escape from her own self.

 

“No, Lena I” Kara paused. She picked up one of Lena’s hands in her own and rubbed her thumb in small circles over the other woman’s knuckles. “I’ve had a wonderful time. It was better than any party, really,” she added when Lena parted her mouth to deny it. Kara looked up from their entwined hands and gave Lena what she hoped was a lighthearted smile, wishing she could smooth away the pain etched into Lena’s face, “Drinks, skinny dipping, a new dress?” Kara shook her head, “Lena I don’t know what a kind of parties you’re used to but for a lowly reporter that’s a pretty spectacular night. In fact, if I didn’t know any better I’d say you were trying to coax me into forgetting myself” Kara winked, hoping her humor would distract Lena.

 

Lena’s hand clenched tightly, almost painfully under Kara’s hand. Then suddenly the sky around them erupted with fireworks, the lake shining like starlight as hundreds of champagne and pink colored explosions burst in the night sky. Lena’s eyes reflected the glittering explosions, deep green pools glowing. Kara couldn’t tear herself away, the world seeming to stand still. _God they’re beautiful_ Kara thought, stare locked onto Lena’s eyes.

 

“It is,” Lena said softly, watching the explosions around them with a sad half smile.

 

Kara gave a start, not realizing she must’ve spoken out loud. Without knowing it she edged closer, running a hand over Lena’s cheeks, brushing her finger s lightly through the CEO’s dark hair, wishing she could wipe away whatever had caused Lena to look so lost. Another round of fireworks went off, their boom echoing warmly over the lake. “Pink is my favorite color” Kara mumbled, nodding at the fireworks. She felt Lena’s breath on her cheeks, hot against her skin, her pulse sending warm waves down her body.

 

Lena stared at her, eyes boring into the hero’s own. “I know,” she said barely above a whisper.

 

The world seemed to spin around Kara. Everything was rushing around her and the way Lena looked, the way she was staring at Kara like she needed to drink in every second made Kara’s heart ache and stop all at the same time. “Lena…” she murmured, moving closer. She closed her eyes and rested her forehead against the other woman’s. She took a few deep breaths to steady herself, not because when she was this close she could smell Lena and the scent was almost as intoxicating as Mon-El’s booze.

 

_What are you doing_ Kara’s mind screamed, _Stop before you ruin your friendship with Lena._ But Kara couldn’t move, her stomach fluttering uncontrollably.

 

She can’t fuck this up, she cant live without Lena even if its only as friends.

 

“Kara?” Lena’s voice was quiet. She slipped a hand around Kara’s waist, her skin warm and soft “You’re trembling?”

 

Kara opened her eyes slowly, took in the way Lena brow was wrinkled a little in worry and the gentle tilt of her mouth. Her eyes were still looking at her with that same fragile, almost hurt expression. And suddenly it was all too much for Kara.

 

A wave rocked against the hero. And Kara didn’t even fight it as it pushed her into Lena. Her arms wrapped around the other woman, as if of their own accord, and she entangled her free hand in Lena’s dark hair to tug the CEO tight against her.

 

A gasp sighed over Lena’s lips before Kara’s mouth crashed against the CEO’s.

 

It was supposed to be gentle, but instead it was hungry, insistent. Kara had never wanted anything so badly before and her mouth moved against the CEO’s impatiently, desperately.

 

Her nails grazed over the small of Lena’s back, over her ribs, her sides.

 

Her brain swam with the sound of Lena’s heartbeat, the feel of the other woman’s bare skin beneath her hands and the way she felt as if she was slowly unraveling.

 

There was a push against her chest, but Kara barely noticed, the ache to pull Lena closer driving any other thoughts out of the hero’s mind.

 

The push came again, this time more firmly. Kara stopped and Lena pulled away, her lips slightly swollen, red lipstick nearly gone.

 

“I can’t. Kara, please” Lena choked, tearing herself from Kara’s arms, “I cant do this.”

 

The words took a moment to register. “I didn’t mean—I thought—I’m sorry” Kara stammered as she numbly watched Lena pull herself out of the water and run a trembling hand through her dark hair.

 

“I’m sorry” Kara repeated, reaching out for the other woman, hurt and confusion driving the breath from her lungs until the words sound like a cry. Everything felt cold and Lena blurred in front of her.

 

Lena moved away, flinching from Kara’s touch, “I-I cant” her voice cracked, “please, just leave me alone.” The words sent dread like a chill through Kara’s body, and the hero stumbled backwards, noticing the way Lena held her dress in front of her like a wall.

 

“Lena”

 

But the CEO turned away, disappearing back up the drive to the manor, fading into the night as if she had never been anything more than a figment of Kara’s imagination.


	6. Fly Me to the Moon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I read online (which obviously makes this fact) that Superman could fly faster than the speed of light. So I rolled with it and Kara flys really fast at several points. Just to clarify. Also don't know if anyone has ever seen Holliday Inn, but if you have, thats the kind of farmhouse I mean. As always thanks for everyone who reads and comments, things are going to get real gay (yay!) in the next chapter or so

Lena pushed Kara onto her desk. Her lips pressed into Kara’s, the need behind each kiss sending a throb down Kara’s legs. Her hands knotted into fists, fingers tightly grasping Kara’s shirt, pulling the hero hard against her. Teeth bit at Kara’s lower lip and the hero groaned, feeling the way Lena’s mouth curved into a smile at the noise. There was a tongue in Kara’s mouth, warm and teasing and tempting and Kara shuddered, her hands moving up under Lena’s skirt, fingers gripping the CEO’s thighs tightly as she slipped her grip slowly upwards.

 

“Fuck” Lena moaned, low and throaty, as she straddled Kara. She draped an arm over Kara’s shoulder, arching into her as she nipped Kara’s neck, teeth grazing her pulse.

 

Kara moved her other hand up, fingers trembling as she popped buttons, yanking Lena’s blouse until it ripped and she could glide her hand underneath Lena’s bra. Feeling the way the other woman’s skin was soft and hard and warm beneath her touch.

 

Lena gasped into Kara’s neck, her breath ragged, “Please, Kara.” Her head tilted back and Kara swiped her tongue from Lena’s collarbone to her ear, the CEO’s skin salty under her lips.

 

Lena’s hips rolled against her, desperate for friction. She untangled her fingers from Kara’s hair and used them to guide the hero’s hand further upward, pushing Kara’s palm higher.

 

And then…

 

Kara’s alarm blared.

 

The hero shot up in bed, tumbling out of her damp sheets to switch off the button on her phone. Her hands fumbled for a moment before finally clicking the device off, the sudden silence almost as deafening as the ringing had been.

 

Kara rubbed a sweaty palm over her forehead. It had been two weeks since she’d kissed Lena at the CEO’s party, and Kara hadn’t been able to get the other woman off her mind. At work her thoughts would wander, imagination lingering over the memory of Lena jumping into the lake or the way her body had felt against Kara’s own in the water.

 

She couldn’t think, couldn’t breath. Snapper had sent her home twice now because dreams of Lena had kept the hero up at night and she’d almost fallen asleep at her desk three or four times.

 

Kara was tired, desperate, and if she didn’t shape up she’d probably loose her job, but Kara couldn’t help herself, couldn’t stop, she was addicted to Lena Luthor.

 

Kara slid her back down the bed, landing with a hard plop on her bedroom floor. She sighed. Her ears searched for the all too familiar sound of Lena’s heartbeat. She hadn’t dared see the CEO since the kiss at the lake, not as Supergirl or Kara Danvers. The memory of Lena’s pale, rigid face, of the way she’d looked at Kara like she couldn’t get far enough away from the hero still brought an ache up in Kara’s chest that she wasn’t sure would ever heal.

 

But even though Kara knew Lena didn’t like her, could never feel the same way about her, couldn’t bear to ever see the reporter again after the other night, she couldn’t stop herself from listening for the CEO throughout the day. Even when she tried not to, Kara’s superhearing would pick up on snaps of the CEO’s conversations or the sound of her troubled breathing at night automatically. It was like Kara’s whole body was tuned to Lena.

 

Kara focused in, ears picking up the sound of her neighbor feeding his dog and what she thought might’ve been James’ voice as he talked to Winn about new upgrades for the guardian uniform. After a moment sh discerned the steady thump, thump, thump of Lena’s pulse.

 

She listened intently for a moment, breath stilled, absorbing the sounds like sunlight. Ears still perked, Kara’s hands blindly reached for her phone. After a second they bumped into the device, Kara grabbing it and checking her inbox for the millionth time that night.

 

Still nothing. No text from Lena, no reply to Kara’s apologetic voicemail or even more sorry text. Nothing at all.

 

At the sight of the empty screen, Kara threw the phone across the room with a hollow thud. She forced herself to rip her attention away from Lena’s heartbeat, unable to bear it any longer.

 

_What’s happened to me_ Kara thought quietly. She pulled her knees into her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. With a cry she buried her head into the crook of her elbow.

 

When the dull pain in her chest subsided, Kara stood, changed into her Supersuit and sped out her window, hoping a night of saving others could distract her from herself and keep her thoughts from Lena, even if only for a second.

 

xxxx

 

“Supergirl? You’re needed at the DEO, something’s happened.”

 

Kara paused mid-punch, taking in J’onn’s words over her comm link.

 

“Copy that, be right there.” She gave the alien in front of her a finial right hook to what she guessed was its face—it was difficult to tell—and grabbed the unconscious body in her fists as she flew at light speed back to the DEO.

 

She landed with a thud on the concrete floor, tossing the alien to an agent near her, “Here, make sure you put him in a Python-reinforced containment cell, he’s stronger than he looks.” She trudged over to the command center computers in the center of the building, each footstep an effort to pick up and then put down.

 

Winn, Alex and J’onn were huddled over one of the terminals, black uniforms shining dully in the florescent lights. At the sound of Kara’s heavy steps, Alex nudged J’onn.

 

He turned his attention from the monitor and eyed Kara skeptically as she approached, hard stare lingering over the dark circles under Kara’s eyes and the drop in her shoulders. “You look like hell,” he said at last, arms crossed over his chest.

 

Kara stared at him blankly, “What’s the emergency?”

 

And for the first time since she’d met him J’onn hesitated.

 

Alex stepped around him, “maybe you should get some rest Supergirl, take a break for a few hours?”

 

Kara’s stomach twisted with dread, the thought of going home alone, of sitting in her apartment with nothing to distract her from her thoughts of Lena sending a wave of nausea through her. “I’m fine,” she said flatly, flashing a thin smile as she adjusted her hands on her hips.

 

Alex sighed. Things between the sisters had been tense since Lena’s dress had arrived that one night, the two barely talking and skirting around asking one another what was really wrong.

 

J’onn seemed to sense some of the strain in the air. “Look I don’t know what’s been happening with you two recently, or why the hell you seem so determined to chase every alien and criminal down within two hundred miles of National city, but Alex is right. This might not be the news you need right now. Its a B level alert, I can call Superman if I need. The important thing is you get some rest. L-Corp can wait till the morning.”

 

Kara’s head snapped up. “L-Corp?” her lips were cracked, “what happened?”

 

J’onn’s mouth pressed into a thin line, and Alex refused to meet her eyes. “We’ll talk about that after you recover, and I mean a full day off with sun lamps and”

 

“What happened,” Kara interrupted, and there was something in her voice, in the hard, almost feverish cast of her eyes that stopped J’onn short and set Alex’s jaw at a hard angle.

 

“Lillian and Lex Luthor have escaped.”

 

A sharp ache spread behind Kara’s forehead and black spots danced in front of her vision “Lena. Is she ok?”

 

“That’s not our primary focus—“

 

“Is she ok.”

 

J’onn was silent for a moment, “We don’t know. Our last Intel reports that Lena left National City about four hours ago, headed inland.”

 

Four hours? She’d been on the run for that long? Lena could be anywhere by now, could be in danger, could be dead. Kara swallowed. She braced her hand on the desk in front of her to keep herself from stumbling over. Her world seemed to narrow to a single pinprick in front of her.

 

Alex cleared her throat. Her voice filtered through the air to Kara as if it was coming from hundreds of miles of space “That’s not all. It looks like Lillian planned on going to jail the entire time as a way to get closer to her son in order to help them both escape.”

 

There was something in Alex’s tone that made Kara’s world suddenly turn blood red, her heat vision threating to spill out. “So?”

 

Alex looked at J’onn. The Martian placed a hand on Kara’s shoulder, but the hero shrugged him off. “So?” she repeated.

 

“So…” J’onn said evenly, “Our satellites pinpointed Lena’s last known location near Central City…the same location the FBI got a read on Lillian Luthor’s cellphone.”

 

Winn pulled up a map of America, Central City a blinking red dot somewhere in the Midwest. J’onn tapped the screen, “We questioned Ms. Luthor’s secretary and she confirmed that Lena removed several weapons as well as a substantial amount of cash from her office before leaving town.”

 

Kara’s stomach plummeted. “She’s not running away, she’s going after Lex.” Kara felt weak, like her world was about to collapse the way it did after she had kissed Lena at the party. She couldn’t loose Lena, not again, not like this. Another wave of nausea rolled through Kara’s stomach, she couldn’t live in a world without Lena. Even if the CEO never wanted to see her again, even if Kara only ever heard her heartbeat from a distance or saw her face on the cover of magazines, she _needed_ Lena.

 

She was about to ask for a more detailed report when Alex’s quiet voice stopped her. “That’s what Jess said, but…the DEO has to consider the other possibility Kara.”

 

The words were said gently but Kara whipped around to her sister. “Alex” she warned in a pinched tone, knowing what was coming next.

 

Alex locked eyes with Kara, “She could be joining them.”

 

Kara stood motionless, “No,” she said barely above a whisper, the room suddenly feeling small around them.

 

“Its too convenient, Lena puts Lillian in jail then Lex escapes? And now Lena is within a hundred miles of both her mother and brother? It was a setup. Lex always wanted Lillian to go to jail so she could ensure his escape, and Lena’s participation with Supergirl was a way to buy our trust.”

 

“I have to agree with Alex on this one Kara,” Winn squeaked. “The data…”

 

“The hell with the stupid data,” Kara clenched her fists. She turned to Alex, “You’re wrong.”

 

“Kara. She’s been on their side this entire time.”

 

“No. But if you won’t help her I will.” Kara spun on her heel, already headed for the window, back facing Alex as a flinch filled the agent’s blurry eyes.

 

“Supergirl! Wait!” J’onn yelled

 

Kara’s mouth set in a hard line. She pushed past agents, vision red.

 

If the DEO thought Lena was helping Lex, it meant they hadn’t taken any measures to protect the CEO. Lena was alone, completely at the mercy of her family. If they got to Lena before Kara…

 

Kara’s heart stopped in her chest.

 

Her breath caught.

 

She shot into the air, exhaustion forgotten. She flew faster than she had ever done before in her life, breaking the sound barrier with a haunting boom as she hurtled away from the DEO.

 

xxxx

 

Kara flew until her legs shook beneath her. Flew until her eyes felt heavy with exhaustion. Flew around and around the earth until finally, out of 7 billion people, her hearing picked out the one heartbeat that sent her own pulse thundering.

 

She landed heavily, her tired legs shattering the earth beneath her feet.

 

“What the hell were you thinking” Kara said through gritted teeth, knowing Lena was still too far away to hear but not giving a damn anyway.

 

She stood up from her crouch, brushed the rubble and grass and dirt from her knees, stepped out of the small crater she had created.

 

She was standing in the center of a baseball stadium. The smell of hotdogs wafted over to her on the frost bitten air and a pair of planes buzzed over her head, banners advertising “Milwaukee’s Best Brew!” in all caps.

 

Kara marched through the field, ignoring the confused looks the semi-professional players shot at her, or the way her picture was plastered over the big screen, cameras focused in on her face.

 

Kara passed second base, the batter still frozen between the plates he had been running to before Kara interrupted the game mid throw.

 

The stadium was oddly quiet, a hushed suspense falling over the crowd.

 

Kara barely noticed, her ragged breath filling her ears. She stumbled over a barrier plastered with the name of a local pizza shop, using her supervision to pick out the pair of burning green eyes seated just behind the batter box.

 

Her cape hung limply off her shoulders, trailing over the bleachers with a slow swish.

 

Kara’s whole body locked onto Lena, every sense completely attuned to the other woman.

 

She watched as Lena closed her eyes, took in the CEO’s pale complexion, the burning fire smoldering wildly beneath her eyes, the way her lips looked bloodless.

 

Kara tripped over a step, her boot scrapping over the rough concrete and leaving a white scratch over the red material.

 

She was almost there, two more rows.

 

She was only fifteen feet away from Lena when she realized something was…off. Lena was sitting strangely, her back ramrod straight, her hands resting behind her back in an awkward position

 

No, not resting Kara suddenly realized, tied.

 

_Fuck._

 

Kara’s eyes snapped to Lena, reading too late the terror in the CEO’s face.

 

A cackle erupted over the field, the noise shattering the stadium’s unearthly stillness.

 

Kara spun to face the noise. Lex’s face grinned out at her from the big screen.

 

“How nice of you to join our little game Supergirl, though I must say you’re late, you’ve already missed the first three innings, I doubt Superman would’ve taken so long.”

 

Kara felt a bead of sweat trickle down the nape of her neck. “What do you want Lex?” she asked authoritatively, feet slowly edging backwards, closer to Lena, hoping she could free the CEO before Lex noticed.

 

Another maniacal laugh echoed through the field. “For you to play ball with us of course!” He leaned in closer, his yellow teeth smiling dangerously out from the monitor, “But I’m afraid home team rules are a little different than you’re used to.”

 

Kara lifted her foot over a pile of popcorn, close enough to smell Lena’s perfume now. “This isn’t a game Lex.”

 

Lex clapped his hands gleefully, “As serious as your cousin I see. But that’s fine, I can match your mood; take one more step towards Lena and I’ll blow this fucking stadium to pieces.” Kara wavered, stopping a few inches away from Lena.

Lex clucked his tongue. “Good. And now that I’ve got your attention I want to tell you about a little bet I made this afternoon. You see I put four bombs throughout the ballpark, all attached to innocent civilians. ” Lex paused, grin widening madly, “And there is one, just one, attached my dear sister. You wont have enough time to save both.”

 

Kara’s mouth tasted metallic and her stomach felt like someone had kicked all of the air out of it.

 

“Now I say you go for the Joe Blows in the crowd, but mother thinks you’ll save Lena. If I win I get Lena’s half of the company, and if she wins she gets to keep the recording of a Super’s morals finally breaking” Lex licked his lips.

 

A tense hush settled over the field, and Kara could feel the eyes of the thousands of people in the stadium turned towards her, each hoping they would make it out alive, to go home safe to their husbands and wives and brothers and sisters. Every nerve in her body tingled, and her heightened senses could feel Lena’s eyelashes fluttering rapidly in the air behind her, each gust brushing against Kara’s impenetrable skin.

 

The color drained slowly from Kara’s face.

 

Lex’s bark of laughter turned into a hiss. “You’ve got four seconds. Choose wisely”

 

She hesitated before jumping into the sky, spent legs barely driving her into the air. She flew over Lena, hearing the CEO’s wildly beating heartbeat as she screamed, “No!”

 

_1.06 seconds to detonation_

 

Kara zoomed past, using her x-ray vision to rip the first bomb off a middle-aged man in a white t-shirt stained with chilidog sauce. She cradled the humming metal in her arms.

 

_2.400 seconds to detonation_

 

She found the second device on the pitcher, the third resting on an old woman’s lap.

 

_3.185 seconds to detonation_

 

She was going so fast Lex’s words sounded slow in her ear, as if the madman was taking years to say each vowel instead of milliseconds. “Oh…and..by..the.. way…it doesn’t.. matter ..what ..you …choose…they’re… all… laced.. with… kryptonite.” His laugher rumbled slowly, slowly over the field, each peel bursting in Kara’s ears individually. “you die no matter who you choose to save.”

_3.677 seconds to detonation_

 

She grabbed the fourth bomb, yanking it free from a young girl’s backpack, the pink material covered with Girl Scout badges.

_3.889 seconds to detonation_

 

Lena was screaming at her to go, but Kara couldn’t understand the words.

 

_3.899 seconds to detonation._

 

The bomb came loose from Lena’s hands, a faint green light glowingly sickly from its core.

 

_3.999 seconds to detonation_

 

Kara sped over the tops of skyscrapers, past the buzzing planes. There was a soft beep and Kara threw the bundle of bombs as far as she could, already knowing it wouldn’t be enough.

 

The explosion sent shockwaves through the clouds. Green dust showered through the air, dark emerald spikes falling through it like shooting stars.

 

Same color as Lean’s eyes Kara thought faintly before the concussive force of the bomb sent her spiraling backwards. A piece of glowing shrapnel pierced her side, white hot pain blinding Kara, her throat burning as she screamed and kryptonite particles filled her lungs. She landed in the outfield, vision going dark.

 

xxxxx

 

"Supergirl, Please, oh god Supergirl please get up.”

 

The sky spun above Kara, her breath barely casting a white puff into the frozen air.

 

Something jerked her side and Kara screamed as her vision went dark again.

 

“Supergirl?” She felt Lena’s arms loop underneath her armpits as the CEO dragged Kara’s body across the field.

 

There was a patch of winter sunlight on the far edge of the field, and Lena pulled Kara to it. “Can you hear me?”

 

Kara tried to nod but her head lolled to the side. She coughed and blood splattered over Lena’s arm

 

Lena propped Kara up and crouched in front of her.

 

Kara tried to focus on Lena’s green eyes, but the emeralds swam in front of her dizzyingly, Kara counting three? No five? Pairs of eyes as her vision went double.

 

“Can you walk?” The words sounded so far away, and Kara felt her eyes slip lower, suddenly drowsy.

 

“Shit. Look at me, Supergirl. Please, you have to stay awake”

 

Kara fought to open her eyes. She felt lightheaded. She smiled loosely. “Anything for my favorite…” she swallowed “….my favorite,” her voice trailed off indistinct.

 

Lena cupped Kara’s cheek, “Sh. Its ok.” She ripped the plaid shirt she had on over her white t-shirt off. “I don’t know if you can hear me, but we need to get the Kyrponite out of you before it kills you.” Kara dipped her head yes. Lena took a deep breath and wrapped her fingers around the shard of green glowing beneath Kara’s ribs. “this is going to hurt.”

 

She gave a quick pull and yanked the green out.

 

Kara’s world flashed white. She gave an earthshattering cry and felt hot tears streaming from her eyes.

 

Lena quickly pinned her rolled up shirt into Kara’s side, the fabric absorbing the red leaking out of the hero’s suit. She tossed the green stick as far away from Kara as she could and turned her attention back to the reporter.

 

“My hero” Kara mumbled. The sunlight streamed onto her skin, and Kara managed a faint smile at the words.

 

Lena looked at her amazed, her green eyes reeling. But her face suddenly shadowed, “fuck, oh fuck, Lex”

 

Kara looked across the field her unsteady vision revealing a man in a long black pea coat gamboling over to them.

 

Lena picked up a can and threw it at him, the aluminum landing with a soft thump against Lex’s soft wool collar.

 

He giggled uncontrollably, “strike one.” Kara jerked her leg into the pool of sunlight, Kryptonian DNA bubbling.

 

Lena grabbed Kara and scrambled backwards, chucking a scrap of metal at Lex.

 

This time she missed, the scorched steel spinning harmlessly by his head. “Strike two!” Lex screamed with a skip.

 

Kara felt the sunlight on her back. An image of Krypton the way it had looked in the milliseconds before exploding flashed before her eyes. Kara put a wobbly hand on the ground and forced herself to stand. She got to her feet slowly, swaying dangerously.

 

She pushed Lena behind her.

 

Her side was slick with blood when she went to place her hands on her hips. White spots were dancing in front of her eyes.

 

“Ooo, still not done playing the hero are we?” Lex barked, “Well joke’s up little girl, you’re in over your head. You don’t know when to quit.”

 

Kara closed her eyes, took a deep breath.

 

Lex was only a few yards away now, a knife the color of a Sprite bottle dancing between his fingers.

 

Kara summed up the last of her strength and shot a feeble ray of heat vision onto the grass in front of her. It was barely enough to cook a turkey, let alone harm Lex, but it set the grass on fire instantly, flames leaping up between Lena, Kara and Lex.

 

Lex let out a howl of rage, but Kara didn’t stay long enough to hear its end. With a spin she turned and grabbed Lena, pulling the woman tight as she staggered into the air.

 

She barely cleared the stadium, more falling at super speed than flying.

 

Kara held out as long as she could, but after just a few moments she felt her powers drain and her altitude drop. Snow flew against her face in thick flakes. She tucked Lena in close to her and fell to the ground, skidding across the earth with a heavy thud.


	7. And the Rest is Rust and Stardust

xxxx

 

When Kara woke up she didn’t know where she was. She was lying on a rough wooden floor, wrapped tightly in several thick cotton blankets with at least two more beneath her for cushioning.

 

A small plastic camping lantern burned near her and the smell of pine trees drifted up to her nose. Her eyes squinted, but Kara couldn’t seem to focus, everything shifting around her, her thoughts spinning in jumbled circles.

 

Kara’s brow furrowed. Why was she here? Where was Alex?

 

Suddenly Kara’s memories came rushing back, the look on Lex’s face as he’d walked across the baseball field, the sound of screams and the heat of the Kryptonite bombs on her face as the devices exploded all coming back with a vivid clarity.

 

Kara shot up “Lena?!” she called, the words coming out in a gasp as a shooting pain in the hero’s ribs caused her to cry out. She fell back with a crash, surprised by how much her alien body ached at the contact. She fought to stay conscious, forehead slick with sweat.

 

“Lena!” she rasped, trying to roll towards the lamp.

 

Suddenly Lena’s green eyes were burning above Kara’s, “Shhhh. It’s ok, its ok, you’re safe.” She placed a cool hand on Kara’s brow, the touch softening almost into a caress. A water bottle was pressed to Kara’s lips and she downed the contents painfully.

 

_Got to hydrate. Don’t want Alex to stick an IV in me_ the hero thought confusedly, mind travelling back to the time her sister had used a Kryptonite needle to pump fluids into her after a long battle in the desert.

 

When Kara nearly finished the bottle, Lena nodded, and pulled the water bottle away. She ran a hand through Kara’s damp hair, telling the hero in a soothing voice to go back to sleep.

 

Kara shook her head, her sight already darkening. She didn’t want to lose Lena.

 

“You’ll never lose me,” Lena whispered faintly, or maybe Kara only imagined it. The CEO’s hand cupping Kara’s fevered face as her thumb rubbed gentle circles on her cheeks.

 

Kara tried to sit up again but a weight on her chest kept her from moving. She looked down and saw a pair of long white hands resting on her shoulders. When her vision swayed up again her eyes found Lena’s and the back of her mind clicked that those were Lena’s fingers brushing against her collarbone. Lena’s whole body was leaning in, and Kara’s muddy senses slowly burned warm.

 

“You need to sleep” Lena murmured tenderly, palms still against Kara even though the hero was lying limply on her pallet, her blurred stare latched onto the dark haired woman as if she was a dream.

 

Kara gave a sluggish tilt of her head, the movement sending her world reeling again and left her wondering briefly why the walls were moving.

 

“Going to grab…..Be right back,” she heard Lena’s muffled voice come in and out of focus, the CEO moving away a few feet.

 

“Please” Kara slurred, her voice cracked. And even though her head spun, Kara shot her hand out, clumsily grabbing Lena’s own before the other woman could leave again.

 

Lena stopped. She stared down at Kara’s hand wrapped around her own, her face unreadable except for the sudden flash of some emotion Kara’s disoriented brain couldn’t place. Lena swallowed and took a shaky breath. Her lips parted as if to say something but she shut them as if changing her mind and instead moved back around next to Kara, her fingers interlacing more firmly with the hero’s own. She swirled over Kara’s knuckles, her other hand brushing lightly over the reporters brows.

 

The touch sent Kara’s world reeling again, and the hero gave a happy hum. The last thing she saw before she closed her glassy eyes was a strand of Lena’s hair falling over the CEO’s cheekbones as she leaned forward to turn out the light.

 

xxxx

 

The next time Kara woke up it was daylight. She was still lying on the floor, and even though her body ached, Kara could tell the dim sunlight pouring in from the windows had healed her somewhat.

 

She could sit up at least, the hero lifting herself up with a grimace. When the searing pain in her side subsided and she was able to catch her breath again, Kara took a look around her. She was in what was clearly a huge abandoned farmhouse, the slopped ceiling ribbed by huge wooden beams and the empty living room covered in dark cherry floorboards softly worn with time that stretched out languidly to the massive fireplace at one end of the room.

 

Kara glanced out the window, wondering if a landmark outside might give her more of a clue as to where she was, but the house was surrounded by rolling hills of wheat fields as far as the eye could see, the golden stalks just barely peeking through a thick blanket of snow. Low clouds covered the sky, their white folds ominous with the threat of more bad weather soon to come. Already soft flakes were falling.

 

Kara sighed and fell back onto her makeshift bed, exhausted. She rubbed a hand over her forehead. She needed to get in contact with the DEO, with Alex. She had no idea how long she’d been out for but she knew her sister must be dying of worry. She was just wondering if she could manage to fly when a light tap on the doorway leading to what Kara guessed was the kitchen interrupted her thoughts.

 

“Good morning” Lena said, leaning against the doorframe. “You look better.”

 

Kara’s breath caught. She had forgotten what it was like to so near Lena, to hear every note in her voice and see the way the light played over her eyes. The ache in her chest that had been there since Lena’s party flared and soothed all at once. Kara’s heart practically jumping with joy at the mere sight of Lena while simultaneously shattering because if Lena knew who she was, knew Supergirl was Kara Danvers, she probably wouldn’t even be in the same room as the hero right now.

 

“The sunlight helped a ton I think.” She said quickly, realizing that she had just been staring at Lena. “It feels different than the light in National City though.” Kara paused, opened her palm and turned it upwards, watching the way the rays glided over the lines n her hand in slow, golden streaks. “It’s softer, more like butter than gold you know? The light in the desert is so bright sometimes, so unfiltered. Its beautiful, but this…this is kind of lazy and warm.”

 

Kara looked up and saw Lena watching her in silence. She snapped her palm shut and turned away. “Where are we?” she stumbled quickly, a little too loudly, before Lena got the chance to say anything.

 

“I don’t know, Vermont, maybe Connecticut? After everything with Lex” and Kara pretended she didn’t notice the way Lena had to struggle to say the name, almost like she was spitting it out, “You flew east. You weren’t up for very long but I think you were going fast enough for that to be a reasonable guess.

Kara glanced back to Lena, and for the first time she realized how tired the other woman looked, as if the CEO hadn’t slept well in weeks. A paralyzing thought hit Kara like a bucket of ice, “How long was I out?”

 

“Only about three days.”

 

“Three days?” Kara’s voice broke with worry. She kicked the blankets wrapped around her legs off and tried to stand, ignoring the way her body screamed in protest with every movement.

 

Lena strode over and pushed Kara softly back down, withdrawing her hand as if burned. “Yes three days, and you’re lucky at that.”

 

Kara brushed her hand over where Lena had touched her, the spot still warm. “Lucky? Lena. Your brother and Lillian are out there, running around unchecked, doing god knows what. Not to mention the fact that the DEO is probably in crisis mode trying to figure out what’s happened to me. Lucky is not the word I’d pick.” Kara’s voice climbed higher and higher until by the end it was practically a shrill.

 

Lena shook her head, “No? Well what word would you use?”

 

Kara looked at Lena like she was insane. “I don’t know maybe screwed or shit out of luck or—“

 

“Alive.” Lena stood up and moved over to the windows. She stared out across the acres of farmland. Her fingernails bit into her crossed arms. “Supergirl, you were out for three days, you…you almost didn’t make it” she said quietly, an almost undetectable tremble running through her voice.

 

“Oh.”

 

Lena inhaled, Kara watching as the CEO put herself back together expertly, steeling over whatever emotions had been running through her. “I know you want to get back out there, but the DEO is going to have to deal with Lex by themselves for a little while longer. I lost my phone in the stadium, and I think you blew out your powers either setting that field on fire or trying to fly us here. We have no way to contact anyone at your agency and you can’t risk Lex finding you. You lost a lot of blood, and there was no way for me to stich up the wound in your side. I stopped the bleeding with pressure eventually, but if it opened back up, I don’t think we’d be able to keep you alive the second time around.”

 

Kara’s fingers flew to the comm link in her ear, the hero gving it a rapid series of pushes. But instead of starting the device only fizzed in her eardrums, the broken wires sending a light shock through her body. Kara eyes fluttered shut as she clutched at her hammering chest. “I can’t stay here, I can catch a train or a taxi or I could walk...”

 

Lena shook her head, “You can barely even sit up, let alone walk. No. Supergirl, its too dangerous. What if Lex or Lillian hears about you? Without your powers you can’t hope to defend yourself against them, you’ll just end up finishing what Lex started at the ballpark. And I can’t— _won’t_ —watch you almost destroy yourself again.”

 

Lena’s voice cracked, but she covered it quickly, standing up straighter , the image of a tough no-bullshit CEO.

 

Kara sighed and ran a hand over her forehead. She looked out the window at the overcast sky and the weak rays of light barely pouring through the thick clouds. Without direct sunlight and with the severity of her wounds, it could take days before she was even close to being back to full strength. She ground her teeth, she couldn’t just sit here and do nothing. But Kara knew Lena was right, she wouldn’t make it twenty yards like this and if Lex found her….

 

Kara gave a defeated huff. _Fine._ The world would just have to hold on for a few days until she was healed enough to leave, Superman could handle 78 hours on his own. “Ok, well what do you suggest we do until then?”

 

Lena gave Kara a triumphant I-told-you-so-smirk and motioned to the kitchen behind her, “Well to start, how about some breakfast?”

 

xxxx

 

In the end Lena had to help her into the kitchen, Kara’s arm wrapped around the CEO’s shoulder as the other woman’s hand hugged her waist.

 

Even over the ripping pain in her side Kara’s heart still fluttered. She looked over at Lena, at the green eyes she’d already learned had their own language and the soft lips parted slightly in effort and her heart flipped. She couldn’t feel like this, not when Lena was only her friend, not when Kara knew the other woman had no idea about the effect she had on the Superhero.

 

When they finally reached a small wooden table with rough-hewn boards and rickety oak chairs, Kara fell into a seat as quickly as possible, practically tearing herself away from the other woman.

 

Lena faltered for a moment. “Is everything alright?”

 

“Yup!” Kara gave Lena a smile she hoped was cheerful and not one of desperate need. Her skin still felt electric at Lena’s touch and all she could think about was the way Lena’s lips had felt against her own at the dock. “It ah…it hurt to stand is all.”

 

Lena nodded abruptly, her eyes clouding over. “Of course.” She waved a pale hand around the kitchen, at the small cornflowers painted onto the chipped white cupboards and the iron stove which Kara was pretty sure had seen the younger half of the last century. “There wasn’t much to work with, I don’t think anyone has lived here for a long time. But there were some chickens still living out in the barn and I found cans of corn and peaches in the cellar. I figured you would be hungry so I made enough for seven.” She turned and opened the oven, kindling sending a wave of warm air through the open space. “It’s, um, well I don’t really know how to cook.” A red tinge just colored the tips of Lena’s ears. The confident CEO who had stood in front of Kara moments ago vanished, “You don’t have to eat it, but I think it might help you regain some strength.”

 

She walked forward, a tin tray full of something that smelled so delicious Kara’s stomach grumbled loudly. “You made this?” and Kara raised her eyes to Lena’s own guarded ones, unable to keep the wonder out of her voice. “From some cans and chicken eggs?”

 

Lena smirked, but her fingers fidgeted with a loose string on her shirt. “Don’t count your cards so soon, it might not taste as good as it looks.”

 

Kara scoffed and took a mouthful, too impatient to even blow on her fork. Her de-Superpowered mouth burned a little at the steaming bite, but she hummed happily, it was worth it. “It’s delicious” she said around swallowing, already reaching for another helping.

 

Lena rolled her eyes, but Kara could see the relief washing over her and the way her lips twitched almost as in a smile, “It’s the least I could do.”

 

Kara got out a muffled “Nah” before turning her attention back to the plate in front of her, missing the way Lena’s lips trembled a little.

 

She ate ravenously, three days without food and her Kryptonian metabolism making her feel as if she would never be full again. In-between bites she occasionally looked across at Lena, the other woman’s gaze always trained on the hero, as if she was afraid Kara might vanish if she looked away.

 

Kara swallowed hard and tried to only think about how good her breakfast was. She raised a hand to push up her glasses and dropped her arm awkwardly when she realized they weren’t there. She looked up and caught Lena staring at her again. “What?”

 

Lena started, and looked away smoothly. “Nothing you just, um…you have a little something,” Lena pointed to her chin.

 

Kara stared at her blankly, fork halfway to her mouth. Lena chuckled lowly and leaned forward, “Here, let me.” She swiped beneath Kara’s lips with her thumb, picking up a splash of sauce just below the corner of Kara’s mouth. She lingered for a moment before pulling back suddenly, and staring resolutely out the window.

 

“I’m sorry I don’t mean to be so messy” Kara stuttered, her eyes tracing the rigid set of the other woman’s jawline.

 

Lena turned back to Kara as if the hero was missing something, “That’s not why I—It’s fine.” She turned her attention back to the fields slowly disappearing under the now heavy snowfall and said slowly, “I think there’s a generator out in the barn. If I could get it working we could use the electricity here, maybe even have hot water, and you need go back to bed for awhile, you shouldn’t push yourself too hard.”

 

“I can help, I’m not tired.” But even as she said it Kara could feel her limbs drop with fatigue, her wounds draining her of energy.

 

Lena cocked an eyebrow. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a worse liar,” she teased, suddenly growing serious, “I’ll be in the barn, its only twenty yards away but if something happens, if you need me for any reason, just call and I’ll come.”

 

“Phft. I’m the girl of steel, I’ll be fine.”

 

Lena stood up and stepped around the table, helping Kara to stand. When the hero was on her feet, Lena held her steady for a moment, her green eyes serious, her hands resting on Kara’s hips.

 

“Promise me you’ll call if something happens.” Almost unconsciously she lifted a hand and tucked a strand of hair behind Kara’s ear, her fingers shaking.

 

“I promise” Kara said oddly, her breath hitched.

 

Lena rubbed her thumb lightly over Kara’s cheekbone. “Promise me again?”

 

“I-I, promise”

 

Lena closed her eyes and took a trembling breath. When she opened them again, she moved backwards running a hand over her shirtfront. “I should go. Do you need help back to your bed?”

 

It took a minute for Kara to unstick the words from her mouth, ”No, no I can make it.” She walked slowly back into the living room, ignoring the dark spots floating in the corners of her vision. Lena walked a few steps behind, eyes boring into Kara’s back.

 

When she reached the pile of blankets that served as her bed she collapsed onto them gratefully. Lena hesitated for a moment before stepping over and wrapping the fabric around Kara. “Get some rest” she said soothingly, waiting until the hero’s eyes closed before she stepped away. When she got to the door Lena paused and looked back, “Don’t ever leave me again” she whispered, “Please.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> too much?


End file.
